[theSleepyOne]

i'm looking for a pair of headphones that will sound great without needing to be amped, etc. i'm mostly going to use it to listen to my ipod or computer. right now i am using sony d22 eggos, so there is a big room for improvement. i'd like to stay as close to $100 as possible. i have a wide range in musical taste, so i want something that can handle it all, and not just excel only for certain genres. i will also add that i like to hear bass in my music, but nothing that overpowers the mids and highs.

so far i am considering the sennheiser HD555 and HD280pro. the HD555 costs almost twice as much as the HD280pro, but i am guessing that's because it's much newer(?) i also looked at a fewer beyers, but most of the ones that have been mentioned here are beyond my price range.

how do the HD555 and the 280pro compare (bass, mids, highs, comfort, etc)? i was also considering the audio-technica A700 or AD700 (i'm not sure if i want open or closed cans..) since i will be going to japan this summer. i know they aren't in my price range, but i have a good amount of points saved up at one of the big electronics stores so i can get it for a good price. how does the A700/AD700 compare to the HD555/280pro?

i am open to any suggestions or other recommendations that may suit my needs.

 

[kramer5150]

K240s or SR60 are worth a look IMHO....

Garrett

 

[theSleepyOne]

i've heard that the grados can be a little uncomfortable. i'm looking for something that's comfortable and cover my ears completely and not just sit on them.

 

[OceanEnthusiast]

for what it's worth, i find my grados (325i, bowls) very comfortable. i think it varies person to person.

 

[S_Dedalus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OceanEnthusiast for what it's worth, i find my grados (325i, bowls) very comfortable. i think it varies person to person.

Yeah, for me, broken in bowls are almost circumaural.
HD555's and K240S are about the limit that you can drive directly out of a portable. The Beyerdynamic DT440's should fit your budget as well.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theSleepyOne i'm looking for a pair of headphones that will sound great without needing to be amped, etc. i'm mostly going to use it to listen to my ipod or computer. right now i am using sony d22 eggos, so there is a big room for improvement. i'd like to stay as close to $100 as possible. i have a wide range in musical taste, so i want something that can handle it all, and not just excel only for certain genres. i will also add that i like to hear bass in my music, but nothing that overpowers the mids and highs. so far i am considering the sennheiser HD555 and HD280pro. the HD555 costs almost twice as much as the HD280pro, but i am guessing that's because it's much newer(?) i also looked at a fewer beyers, but most of the ones that have been mentioned here are beyond my price range. how do the HD555 and the 280pro compare (bass, mids, highs, comfort, etc)? i was also considering the audio-technica A700 or AD700 (i'm not sure if i want open or closed cans..) since i will be going to japan this summer. i know they aren't in my price range, but i have a good amount of points saved up at one of the big electronics stores so i can get it for a good price. how does the A700/AD700 compare to the HD555/280pro? i am open to any suggestions or other recommendations that may suit my needs.

Can you tell us how important the following factors are:
1) portability
2) need for isolation

 

[450]

Quote:

Originally Posted by S_Dedalus Yeah, for me, broken in bowls are almost circumaural. HD555's and K240S are about the limit that you can drive directly out of a portable. The Beyerdynamic DT440's should fit your budget as well.

What about the Beyer 860 and Grado RS-1 that Headroom says good unamped.

 

[theSleepyOne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink Can you tell us how important the following factors are: 1) portability 2) need for isolation

portability isn't an issue. 90% of the time they will be used at home.

does better isolation = less sound leakage? i'm not too concerned with isolation, but i don't want to bother ppl around me. so if better isolation and less sound leakage go together, then i want a pair with good isolation.

 

[S_Dedalus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450 What about the Beyer 860 and Grado RS-1 that Headroom says good unamped.

Both are beyond his stated price range, the AD700's and HD555's are both around $150, and he said that they are right at the limit of what he wants to spend. The 860's are $100 more than that, and the RS-1's are about $400-500 more.

 

[S_Dedalus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theSleepyOne portability isn't an issue. 90% of the time they will be used at home. does better isolation = less sound leakage? i'm not too concerned with isolation, but i don't want to bother ppl around me. so if better isolation and less sound leakage go together, then i want a pair with good isolation.

Some open headphones like grados leak pretty much everything, others like the K240S are pretty good at controlling leakage. I'd say the K240S, A500, A700, Sony MDR 7506, and Sennheiser HD 25 and 280 are probably going to work best. I'm not sure if the HD 25 would actually fit your budget, though.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theSleepyOne portability isn't an issue. 90% of the time they will be used at home. does better isolation = less sound leakage? i'm not too concerned with isolation, but i don't want to bother ppl around me. so if better isolation and less sound leakage go together, then i want a pair with good isolation.

Then I would seriously look at AKG 240S and Senn HD 280, as many have said.....

 

[theSleepyOne]

i guess the most difficult thing about headphones is that everyone has their likes and dislikes and different ears. i think the choices are now HD555, HD280, K240S, A700, AD700. how do they compare? maybe a simple rating system will be nice.

and as for the A700 and AD700, is there a big difference in sound between the two? will the AD700 leak more because it's open?

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theSleepyOne and as for the A700 and AD700, is there a big difference in sound between the two? will the AD700 leak more because it's open?

Yes, there is a significant difference in sound between the A700 and AD700. The A700 has heavier bass but is also more muffled. The AD700 is more detailed with clearer highs. The open AD700 leaks some sound, but it's not too much when listening at low volume.