Recommendations: Robust circumaural sealed phone

[kdread]

Heya all,

I'm a first time poster but I lurk here all the time. I wear a pair of Grado 60's at home and Porta-Pros on the go. Been very happy with them.

I'm buying some headphones now for a friend, and I need some recommendations.

I'm looking for a circumaural headphone that is also sealed and has good isolation. Can't spend too much money either, lets say less than a couple hundred (I'm in Canada so the currency exchange to the US is painful). Fir non-amplified use.

The thing that makes this request unusual is that one of the major criteria for this headphone is durability. Basically I want a set of headphones that are REALLY hard to break, because this guy has broken a lot of headphones. I would like to avoid as much plastic as possible. If you can break them by sitting on them accidentally then its probably not a good choice. Ideally stepping on them would also be survivable but I realize headphones have limits.

Can you guys recommend some really really durable phones, or at least recommend what I should steer away from in this search? Some of the phones in my price range might be HD280's or AKG 271s but not sure if they could take the abuse (especially the HD 280's).

Quality here is really secondary to durability.

 

[Yaboosh]

I think your friend would be much better off if he could just learn how to take care of his things.

But, lacking that, the Sony V6 seem fairly durable.

 

[The Actual]

The MDR V6/7506 is a beast. I don't know about stepping, but half sitting on it and then getting up would probably not be a problem.

And they sound pretty good and look official.


Also: Canal buds could be a very good choice if you are really looking for durability as sitting on some ER4s would probably be fine.

 

[Helter Skelter]

The 2 that come to mind for me when sheer durability is mentioned are the Sony MDR-V6/7506 and the Beyerdynamic DT770.

 

[kdread]

Thanks all!

You don't think the AKG's would stand up as well? They look pretty hefty...

 

[phosfiend]

i'm actually looking for something along the same lines as your friend, and will be ordering a pair of AKG K271S phones soon. I will also be producing with these in the wee hours of the night as not to bother the neighbours. While i havent tried them, my research has made me confident that they are the right phones for me. If your friend wants a more musical pair of phones (as i've heard the 271's can be a little neutral) how about a pair of beyer DT770-80's, from what i've read here and elsewhere they sound like a lot of fun and from what I've heard (again, no first hand experience) are quite bombproof - aluminum and steel compnonents. There is an AKG dealer in Quebec, havent called them yet - and online the 271's can be found for around $170 US - so unless you get nailed by customs thats probably cheaper than buying them in Canada, and i would have to disagree with exchange rates - i think we're actually in a pretty good position as Canadians to buy things online from the states

 

[kdread]

What? If the exchange doesn't get me, UPS takes me to the cleaners

 

[fante7]

I second the Beyerdynamic DT770. Those things are incredibly solid.

 

[kdread]

Now I am thinking of getting the DT770s for work for myself, but for my pal do you guys think this is a deal?

http://www.simplycheap.com/sonymdrv6.html

V6's for $40, they're refurb, what do you think could possibly be wrong with a refurbish....? $40 is nothing for cans...

 

[philodox]

AKG K271 Studio are the best sounding closed headphones I have heard. Nice midrange, articulate bass, lots of detail and a very nice intimate soundstage. The most open sounding closed headphone I have heard.

 

[Skylab]

Not sure if you can sit on the DT770s without breaking them, but they sure are great. I had never even heard OF them before finding this site, much less heard them. But I read so much about them here that I tried them, and damned if I don't just love 'em. I own quite a few decent sets of cans, and I listen to the DT770s more than any of the others.

 

[saint.panda]

The AKG K271 is not very easy to drive (Ipod may not be enough) although it's quite comfortable and sounds very good; only caveat is a rather weak bass compared to other headphones. As for build quality, it's pretty much all plastic but having won awards in the mixing and studio engineering sector, it shouldn't be too fragile.

The Beyerdynamic DT 770-80 is slightly easier to drive and has a more solid feel to it. The headband is made of steel. Comfort is good, too. Lots of bass but I prefer the AKG 271's midrange and treble.

The HD 280 is not very comfortable and there have been reports about the headband cracking so I'm not sure about its sturdiness.

If you want a headphone that absolutely cannot break but unfortunately does not excel in comfort either due to its supraaural design, you might consider the Sennheiser HD 25-1. I've stepped on these headphones, dropped them from 2m, etc. and they're still working perfectly. Sonically, they're a small step down from the AKG K271.

The Sony V6 is a very nice headphone for the price ($40 is a good price for refurbished) although in my opinion it has two big flaws: Small sweat-inducing earcups and somewhat harsh in the treble. So I don't think it's the best headphone for long-term listening although apparently this headphone is used quite often by sound engineers. It definately makes for a decent portable headphone though. Lots of bass, too.

 

[Skylab]

I don't find the HD280 uncomfortable, but they are nowhere near as comfortable as the DT770. I have never heard or worn the AKG271.

 

[Helter Skelter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdread You don't think the AKG's would stand up as well? They look pretty hefty...

They sound great (though some the bass may be a bit on the light side for some). It's just that while they are well-built (I've tossed them into my backpack several times without issue), I don't think they could quite stand up to the same amount of punishment as, say, the DT770.

 

[patrox89]

look into the dt 660's