[CaptHowie]

Build yourself a Tangent CMOY amp and buy some Grado SR-60's. I promise you, it's worth it for the little outlay of money. Also, once you've got some good quality headphones and headphone amp, consider getting a LOD (line-out) cable for your iPod. Welcome to Head-Fi... sorry about your wallet...

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I can only agree and affirm a couple things said here. I LOVE my DT-770/80 Pro's and they are not bad without an amp out of a computer, but straight out of an iPod they are pretty terrible. So unless your source was a PC/Laptop or you were grabbing a portable amp/DAC I would not recommend them. I also agree that a nice mid-line home setup while maybe not the same as speakers (don't know, never had a siet beyond cheapy CPU speakers), they are quite fantastic to really sit back and relax to. You can really get lost in the music with the right setup. I feel like the setup in my sig does a super job for me but yet it is still a lower end hi-fi system, but it works and works good, for me. But the bad part is that yeah, the $500-700 range is what it will take to get there. Could be done for less I am sure, for more no doubt.

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptHowie /img/forum/go_quote.gif Build yourself a Tangent CMOY amp and buy some Grado SR-60's. I promise you, it's worth it for the little outlay of money. Also, once you've got some good quality headphones and headphone amp, consider getting a LOD (line-out) cable for your iPod. Welcome to Head-Fi... sorry about your wallet...

I'm planning on eventually building a CMoy, but that may be 6 months or so away. After having thought about it for a while, here is what I am now considering:

Buying something pretty mediocre closed cans, but relatively comfortable for plane trips/when I occasionally need truly isolated. I know it gets ragged here, but as little as I'd need them, maybe a pair of senn HD201s. My minimal needs for these would simply be that the bass is there without running all over everything else and getting "flatulent" and that the highs are relatively crisp. Heck, for about 1/4th of the time I had them on, I'd probably be playing a white-noise track to drown out the plane noise while I sleep.

Then maybe going with the SR80s to start building a set-up I'd be happy with for my around the house needs. Something that I'd still be happy with when I eventually move into a condo/apartment in the next few years and end up doing most of my listening on them.

are the HD201s really that bad?

 

[Quitoman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aragornmustdie /img/forum/go_quote.gif ATH-ES7 + FiiO E5 im a big fan of rock as well and i should say this can does it for me. ive compared it with grados and alessandro MS1, but i still prefer the solid bass provided by the ES7. its even better for metal (black sabbath) though.

Couldn't agree more. The ES7 + Fiio E5 is exactly what you are looking for.

 

[Nocturnal310]

Sennheiser HD555 & Denon D1001 great for iPod among full size cans.

with FiiO the bass can be vastly improved in HD555 while retaining most of its smooth mids.

D1001 has enuff Bass in itself.

my 2 fav full size iPod cans.

 

[berzzzz]

grado sr 60

 

[m1abrams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by berzzzz /img/forum/go_quote.gif grado sr 60

Ok people really should stop recommending any grado for this guy. He specifically said he wants to use them on a plane. Grado's allow way to much outside noise to be usable on a plane. I know I have tried with my SR225, it is useless.

A700s would be ok, however he may not like the size of them for travel. They are mighty comfy and provide excellent sound isolation. I have the A900 but their size prevents me from travelling with them.

 

[poundsign]

AKG 414s inexpensive and bassy. Don't spend more money unless you switch to apple lossless format. You are missing all sorts of good ear candy at 128.

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by m1abrams /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok people really should stop recommending any grado for this guy. He specifically said he wants to use them on a plane. Grado's allow way to much outside noise to be usable on a plane. I know I have tried with my SR225, it is useless. A700s would be ok, however he may not like the size of them for travel. They are mighty comfy and provide excellent sound isolation. I have the A900 but their size prevents me from travelling with them.

No, its okay. I actually have somewhat changed my mind on this. I think I'd be willing to put up with mediocre cans for my once every couple of month plane trips. The more I looked into it, the more I realized that I probably shouldn't try to go with one set of cans to fulfill all my purposes. So I think I'm going to go with an open set for home, since that just seems to be the best way to get to the sound I want without breaking the bank and then a mediocre set of cheapish cans for when I make plane trips. I'm not a full blown headphone hi-fi guy..... yet.

So after taking all you guys and girls helpful considerations into account, what I decided on doing was picking up a cheap pair of sennhesier HD201s, a pair of Grado SR60s and a Fiio E5. The Senns are cheap enough that I can just give them to my dad if I decide that I have to move up later on and FWIR the Grado SR60 + E5 combo is pretty solid, even when I upgrade my system later on.

Anyway, thanks a lot guys and gals.

 

[poundsign]

You will really like your SR 60s.

I use my ibuds under 20 buck red Peltor hearing protectors for airplanes. I found it works better than the NR headphones. Planes are really loud.

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poundsign /img/forum/go_quote.gif You will really like your SR 60s. I use my ibuds under 20 buck red Peltor hearing protectors for airplanes. I found it works better than the NR headphones. Planes are really loud.

you have any idea of how it "hooks up" with a fiio E5? FWIR, the Grados can be a tiny bit lacking in bass punch, and that e5 has a subtle bass boost that I'd imagine works well.

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjrabon /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, its okay. I actually have somewhat changed my mind on this. I think I'd be willing to put up with mediocre cans for my once every couple of month plane trips. The more I looked into it, the more I realized that I probably shouldn't try to go with one set of cans to fulfill all my purposes. So I think I'm going to go with an open set for home, since that just seems to be the best way to get to the sound I want without breaking the bank and then a mediocre set of cheapish cans for when I make plane trips. I'm not a full blown headphone hi-fi guy..... yet. So after taking all you guys and girls helpful considerations into account, what I decided on doing was picking up a cheap pair of sennhesier HD201s, a pair of Grado SR60s and a Fiio E5. The Senns are cheap enough that I can just give them to my dad if I decide that I have to move up later on and FWIR the Grado SR60 + E5 combo is pretty solid, even when I upgrade my system later on. Anyway, thanks a lot guys and gals.

I don't think its you that will be bothered with the SR-60. Its the other passengers who will be pissed at you. Since there is so much noise in plane already, with open air you will have crank volume to hear sufficiently, which also means, lots of angry fellow passengers.

Why don't you look at the Senn HD 25 I, II, if you are considering a Senn? Its portable, has great isolation, little sound leakage. Its been argued to be one of the best portable on ear headphone available, good sound, very durable, and great isolation.

 

[Okenezak]

While Grados and a FiiO E5 would be a great choice and definitely fit into your budget, You'll have to take some tradeoffs in your list:

Grados will work with or without an amp out of an iPod or laptop connection. They sound very good for rock music (which you said was 75% of your music), The SR-60s will be a good price for your budget, with some leftover for an amp like the E3 or E5.

However, Grados are not the most comfortable headphones in the world for people (they get better once "broken in"), they're also open-backed, so you'll hear a fair bit of external noise and there's a chance that people around you will hear your music (depending on what volume you listen to).

I'd have to say, if you think you'd like the Grados, get them, but otherwise you might want to think about IEMs for the isolation and sensitivity to other people.

Disclaimer: I own the Grado SR-80s (not the SR-60s), so I can't speak definitively for them, I recommend you find a store/someone in the area and try them out with your iPod.

 

[JJDyn0mite]

You and I share a lot in common as far as things you are looking for in an all around headphone, type of music, source, etc... Much of my music is at 128kbps and I have to disagree with the common thinking that it's not worth listening to that quality on a good headphone. My first great headphone was an SR-60 and it made EVERYTHING sound better. So take what most of the folks around here say with a grain of salt. I'm not saying higher quality doesn't improve things, but it's not completely fruitless to listen to 128 quality music through good headphones, though it certainly wouldn't make sense to spend thousands on a great setup to listen to crappy quality music, but you're talking about dropping <$100 and I think you will be very happy with the upgrade.

Anyway, my favorite cans so far are the SR-80's, but for what you describe, I think you could get by with the denon d-1001's as a single headphone solution for awhile, then figure out exactly what you want before spending more money. The reasons for that recommendation:

1. Decent isolation, even at low volumes they will drown out ambient noise, people talking, computer fans, etc... Although they don't isolate GREAT for closed phones, they are better than any open headphone and don't leak much. IMO, they strike the perfect balance for portability (you can still be aware of your surroundings when you need to, like when walking outside etc..., but they can be used on a plane where you don't want leakage and there is a lot more ambient noise to address)

2. Light, circumaural, good padding, extremely comfortable

3. Bright highs without sibilance, good bass, slightly accentuated but not flabby or dark, just like you described. I enjoy the bass more than on the SR-80.

4. Easily driven without an amp (i use mine with my laptop and clip all the time)

5. Short cable with included cable extension gives you versatility for portable vs. home

6. easily modded (recable, dynamat, etc...) for potentially better sound.

7. <$100 used. I got mine quickly for $75 with a WTB in for forums. Don't feel like you have to go out and spend $200 just because that's your budget, give something less expensive a try and then you'll have room to grow. If you buy used, the depreciation is basically covered and it's easy to unload them with little loss if you don't like them or when you upgrade and outgrown them.

If I were you and had to pick one, this would be it. I've used or own everything that's been recommended in this thread. The AD-700's are great, but wouldn't satisfy you with their bass, and they are not headphones you'd want to wear in public, they are huge. SR-60's are awesome, but won't work portable or on the plane (long cord, poor isolation, leak sound), believe me, I've tried. I've never cared for the lower end Sennheiser sound, but that's just my opinion.

Anyway good luck finding what you're looking for, there are great options under $100, and an amp is not necessary for most of them.

JJ

 

[jung]

Closed:
Denon AH-D1001
Audio-Technica ANC7
Sennheiser HD25-1
Sennheiser PXC450

Open:
Koss KSC75
Grado SR60

About bit rate, VBR offers much better quality than CBR at the same file size. Try OGG, WMA, etc.