[Empire1]

Hello everyone, 
 
I was using the Recommendations thread to get some ideas and a feel, but since there are many conversations going on at once, I wanted to create a separate thread to really get some in-depth detail. 
 
So here's my situation. 
I've received a pair of Bose QC15 ($300, though they were bought in China, so it's actually close to $400). These are my first pair of headphones and I thought they were great! Unfortunately, I became a lurker at Head-Fi and heard that the Bose's sound quality was apparently inferior to many cans, especially at the price. 
 
Luckily, I found out Bose has a 30 day "home trial" and I can return them at my local store. Thus, it gives me finance options to over $300 on another pair of supposedly better headphones! 
 

---

 
My music: Majority are pop, hip-hop, some rap, though they cover all genres. 
Music quality: Apple lossless, 256kbps AAC, 320kbps MP3, and then some lower bitrates that I plan to upgrade
My source: iPod Touch 4 - no amp (no intention of purchasing one)
Budget: $300 area 
Type of headphone wanted: Closed back and over-ear
 
I would like some bass emphasis and on-par with at least the mid-bass thump of the QC15s. I don't prefer harshness or sibilance. I'm not looking for a particularly flat sound that is "clinical" and brings no life into the music, but rather a more "fun" can. 
 
I've been looking at Denon's offerings and they look appealing, but slightly out of range for me. The D2000 is already discontinued and I do not wish to purchase it, especially with the faulty screw problem. The D600 is appealing but quite expensive. I do not know if Bose will give me $300 back or $400 (the amount paid in China), but if they give me the $400, I might seriously consider taking the D600. 
The DT770 Pros looked good too, but that was before I realized I could afford stuff in the $300 range
Ultrasones have that S-Logic Surround technology which makes me suspicious as how they treat music. The technology apparently affects some and not others, and some people will hear harshness and sibilance, a trait I do not particularly like.

I've been reading the Appreciation threads periodically so I won't be a complete idiot

 
Thanks to anyone who can help, give some input and comments, and recommendations. This is an important purchase as it's my first 'real' headphones and I'd like to get started off right. No amp recommendations please, not interested in those. 

 

[Tangster]

Have you considered the AKG K550? 32Ohms, 114dB/V and properly sealed cans with excellent acoustics.

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

Have you considered the AKG K550? 32Ohms, 114dB/V and properly sealed cans with excellent acoustics.

I've heard of them. I heard they're rather bass light and don't include a carrying case or have removable cables? 

 

[Eargasmo]

Quote:

Hello everyone, 
 
I was using the Recommendations thread to get some ideas and a feel, but since there are many conversations going on at once, I wanted to create a separate thread to really get some in-depth detail. 
 
So here's my situation. 
I've received a pair of Bose QC15 ($300, though they were bought in China, so it's actually close to $400). These are my first pair of headphones and I thought they were great! Unfortunately, I became a lurker at Head-Fi and heard that the Bose's sound quality was apparently inferior to many cans, especially at the price. 
 
Luckily, I found out Bose has a 30 day "home trial" and I can return them at my local store. Thus, it gives me finance options to over $300 on another pair of supposedly better headphones! 
 

---

 
My music: Majority are pop, hip-hop, some rap, though they cover all genres. 
Music quality: Apple lossless, 256kbps AAC, 320kbps MP3, and then some lower bitrates that I plan to upgrade
My source: iPod Touch 4 - no amp (no intention of purchasing one)
Budget: $300 area 
Type of headphone wanted: Closed and over-ear
 
I would like some bass emphasis and on-par with at least the mid-bass thump of the QC15s. I don't prefer harshness or sibilance. I'm not looking for a particularly flat sound that is "clinical" and brings no life into the music, but rather a more "fun" can. 
 
I've been looking at Denon's offerings and they look appealing, but slightly out of range for me. The D2000 is already discontinued and I do not wish to purchase it, especially with the faulty screw problem. The D600 is appealing but quite expensive. I do not know if Bose will give me $300 back or $400 (the amount paid in China), but if they give me the $400, I might seriously consider taking the D600. 
The DT770 Pros looked good too, but that was before I realized I could afford stuff in the $300 range
Ultrasones have that S-Logic Surround technology which makes me suspicious as how they treat music. The technology apparently affects some and not others, and some people will hear harshness and sibilance, a trait I do not particularly like.

I've been reading the Appreciation threads periodically so I won't be a complete idiot

 
Thanks to anyone who can help, give some input and comments, and recommendations. This is an important purchase as it's my first 'real' headphones and I'd like to get started off right. No amp recommendations please, not interested in those. 

 
 
Quote:

Have you considered the AKG K550? 32Ohms, 114dB/V and properly sealed cans with excellent acoustics.

You sound like you are a self-proclaimed basshead.  By closed, do you mean isolation?  Is it important that no one near you can hear what you are listening to?  Because if isolation isn't important, Denon AHD2000 sounds like a perfect match for you, if you can find them.  If isolation is important, the AHD2000 wouldn't work b/c they are notorious leakers.
 
I own the AKG K550s, and I wouldn't consider them basshead headphones.  They isolate great, but they don't have that punchy bass.  By your own description of your listening preferences, I would not recommend the K550s.  The K550s strength is the soundstage.  Truly unrivaled soundstage for a isolating headphone.
 
I haven't yet tried the new Denons, so I can't talk intelligibly on those, so I won't even try.

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

 
 
You sound like you are a self-proclaimed basshead.  By closed, do you mean isolation?  Is it important that no one near you can hear what you are listening to?  Because if isolation isn't important, Denon AHD2000 sounds like a perfect match for you, if you can find them.  If isolation is important, the AHD2000 wouldn't work b/c they are notorious leakers.
 
I own the AKG K550s, and I wouldn't consider them basshead headphones.  They isolate great, but they don't have that punchy bass.  By your own description of your listening preferences, I would not recommend the K550s.  The K550s strength is the soundstage.  Truly unrivaled soundstage for a isolating headphone.
 
I haven't yet tried the new Denons, so I can't talk intelligibly on those, so I won't even try.

By closed I mean open/closed headphones as in no leaking.
 
The D2000s are on Amazon for about $320, which is good. But they apparently have a faulty screw problem, and of course, there's the leaking issue you have just described. 
 
Thanks for the tip on the K550s though, I will mark them off my list. 

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Get the Denon D2000. The "screw" problem is not every model, it's a rampant thing that the internet has re-published for years. I've had zero problems with either of my Denons. Most people I know haven't had that problem. One person every now and then comes up and says they had that problem out of hundreds. But I digress...
 
Alternatives, look into the Ultrasone PRO 750 or PRO 900 (and simply EQ the treble spike down 2~3db). Look into the M-Audio Q40. Look into the Mad Dog variant of the T50RP. Look at Vmoda's latest offerings.
 
Very best,

 

[Empire1]

Heya,

Get the Denon D2000. The "screw" problem is not every model, it's a rampant thing that the internet has re-published for years. I've had zero problems with either of my Denons. Most people I know haven't had that problem. One person every now and then comes up and says they had that problem out of hundreds. But I digress...

Alternatives, look into the Ultrasone PRO 750 or PRO 900 (and simply EQ the treble spike down 2~3db). Look into the M-Audio Q40. Look into the Mad Dog variant of the T50RP. Look at Vmoda's latest offerings.

Very best,

Thanks for replying!

If I do get a faulty pair, it might be extremely hard to replace/fix since I'll be buying online and Denon has discontinued the model. How would you compare to the AHD600s?

 

[Empire1]

Oh and these will DEFINITELY have waaay better sound than the QuietComfort15s right? Those were a gift so they have more than just monetary value. I don't want to return them and get something else only to find there wasn't much difference.

 

[Eargasmo]

the AHD2000s leak.  They leak almost as much if not more than a lot of open cans.  So I am not sure if those are right for your needs either.
 
and yes, you maybe better off starting your headphone voyage with an affordable option like the ATH M50 by Audio Technica. 

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
Quote:

 They leak almost as much if not more than a lot of open cans. 

 
Oh good grief, give me a break. This is just straight nonsense. This is "the sky is falling!". Mention Denon, and here comes the internet with pitchforks saying "loose screws! leak more than open air!!! HAX!" Forgive my rudeness on the subject. But this kind of perpetual myth generation is just out of control.
 
The Denons leaks. They do not isolate as well as other closed headphones. But they do not leak as much as an open air headphone. They're inbetween. But they are not a semi-open design. They leak due to the materials and pad's materials.
 
Very best,

 

[talisman42]

Quote:

Heya,
 
Get the Denon D2000. The "screw" problem is not every model, it's a rampant thing that the internet has re-published for years. I've had zero problems with either of my Denons. Most people I know haven't had that problem. One person every now and then comes up and says they had that problem out of hundreds. But I digress...
 
Alternatives, look into the Ultrasone PRO 750 or PRO 900 (and simply EQ the treble spike down 2~3db). Look into the M-Audio Q40. Look into the Mad Dog variant of the T50RP. Look at Vmoda's latest offerings.
 
Very best,

 
I have two D2000 and so far so good! (Only reason for two is for when we are watching movies). The 'semi-openness' is appropriate for this situation so we can actually communicate during the movie - but they're still not open like truly open phones like the Q701

 

[Empire1]

Hmm I'm really confused whether to get the D2000s or D600s. I'm not sure the D600s can justify the price difference, and especially since there was a 20% off deal I just missed ($100!) and the fact that Denon has a penchant of lowering prices later on.

 

[Eargasmo]

Quote:

Heya,
 
Oh good grief, give me a break. This is just straight nonsense. This is "the sky is falling!". Mention Denon, and here comes the internet with pitchforks saying "loose screws! leak more than open air!!! HAX!" Forgive my rudeness on the subject. But this kind of perpetual myth generation is just out of control.
 
The Denons leaks. They do not isolate as well as other closed headphones. But they do not leak as much as an open air headphone. They're inbetween. But they are not a semi-open design. They leak due to the materials and pad's materials.
 
Very best,

Haha, it's all good.  I was hyperbolizing for sure, so that is my bad.  But they do leak quite a bit.  So by no means do they isolate.  If you like to listen to music at loud volumes and don't want to disturb those around you, I don't thik the AHD2000s are a good option.  Great headphones, just not great isolaters.

 

[Empire1]

I heard they're quite fragile, so I'm guessing it's definitely more of a home use can. If that's the case, a little leakage wouldn't matter.
My current Bose sets leak too, and on purpose (so-called Triport technology)

I think I might get the D2000 over the D600 but not sure yet. And input or comments guys?

 

[Slickman]

 You can use the code H15 on http://www.earphonesolutions.com/ and get the D600's for $424.99. Fumfile also has them for $419.95.