[Xander]

Ok, so I just decided to sell off the rest of my equipment, completely removing me from the hobby of high end audio all togather. It's consuming too much time, thought, and resources at the moment. I still need something to listen on, however. For the record, I have no problems listening on lower end equipment, for some reason going down the line to worse sound doesnt bother me as much as it used to. There is a limit, however.

I'm hearing conflicting differences between the PX200 and PortaPro, some people say the PortaPro has bloated bass and recessed highs, some people reverse this and say the complete opposite, and attach that sound description to the PX200s. Portability is not an issue, just as long as I can drive it from a laptop or something, so other recomendations are welcome. I will not consider anything above 40 or 50 dollars, however.

I hear the HD497's are bright? Some people say they are balanced. Whats the deal? Hopefully if some fresh heads respond to this post, I can get some clearer answers.

For the record, a little bit of bloaty bass and recessed highs won't necessarily make me crazy. I also really like the way the PortaPro's look for some reason. I have a slightly larger than average head, so the PX200s may not fit.

 

[blessingx]

I'd say the 497's are head and shoulders over the others listed, though as you know there are many PP fans here. I didn't find the 497's noticeably bright. I'd stay away from the PX line if you've already sampled higher cans. Grado SR-60's aren't in the competition, huh? That would be my choice for cheap phones, with the 497's in second.

Good luck with the health kick.

 

[Xander]

What is the build quality of the 497's like? Will they last me a while if I dont abuse them? Also, what is the comfort like? The only other question I have, is whether they are very sensitive to source. They could very well wind up being plugged into a PCDP. I would rather have something that would mask the disgustingness of a PCDPs output stage, as apposed to something that will reveal it.

 

[blessingx]

They take the simple appoarch and seem pretty durable in that respect. Think normal plastic. Feels cheap, but pretty hard to break. The only weak point seems to be where the cans attach to the headband, and I've haven't heard any complaints about breakage there. I think they're pretty durable, though they don't have that "I'll survive an apocalypse" V6 feel (possibly another contender?). I listened for extended period of times with two PCD's and an iPod. I think they're very comfortable, and just got a friend who complains a lot of discomfort (joke being withheld) and she thought they were very comfortable. If the 497's were closed, they'd difinitely be my backup pair. Instead the V6's fill that void.

 

[bsdfish]

The HD497s are rather durable. I've had problems with headphones breaking or getting scratched up, but the 497s appear to be relatively immune. They look like cheap plastic but are actually pretty solid. Also, the connection between the earpiece and the headband is better than it looks.

 

[Davie]

The only common complaint with the 497s is that some of them come with a bad connection between the cord and the driver in one or the other side. This happened to me and I returned them for another pair, which was fine. Others say that since the cord is detachable (supposedly connects with a mini plug) you just have to open them up and push the plug in.

My impression is that Sennheiser has done a good job of making a cheap but durable design. Because the entire thing is made of flexible plastic pieces that snap together, it's hard for me to think of how you could break them.

I think that the 497s would make an excellent replacement for a high-end system. But they're too big to be really portable.

I don't think that the portapros are really the equal of the 497s, but they're pretty decent and do fold up nice and small. Based on anecdotal evidence they're also quite durable, though they are prone to the grattle problem. If you can buy them somewhere with a return policy, like Headroom, I'd say they're worth a shot.

 

[Hiker]

The 497s where my first higher-end headphones. I bought them about a year ago and have had no complaints. They sound neutral compared with my Grado SR-80s and are pretty easy to drive. I have used them with pcdps, an Ipod, and my computer (Audigy 2). Currently I use them mostly with my computer and I am pretty satisfied.

As stated before, they might look like cheap plastic, but they are quite durable. Very flexible. As for comfort, they are a little tighter than other cans, but not so much that they are bothersome. Usually I have to make a quick readjustment after about an hour or two, but they are fine after that. I would definately recommend these to anyone.

 

[bsdfish]

You know, in my pair, the connection between the cable and the headphones is iffy on one side. But the cable does connect w/ a plug, so it's easy to push up and get working. In my case, this problem comes back after a while. It's not that big of a deal, but does anybody know if getting a new cable will fix this, or of I need a new driver(with the associated socket) instead?

 

[dunelly]

Another vote for the HD497. A little tight, but great sounds.