Replacing Grado SR80s

[The Great Curve]

I've got a set of Grado SR80's. I really like them, but while they're fine for home use, they leak sound in and out like crazy so they're not so good outside. (People on the bus don't seem to appreciate them either!) I'm looking to sell them and get some headphones that are better in this regard.

This isn't your standard 'recommend me some good portable cans' thread though, as I'm just starting to get into home recording. I'm looking at getting some decent closed headphones for monitoring/mixing.

I don't think I could justify financially owning more than two pairs of headphones - I'm a uni student without a huge amount of money to spend! So what I'm after, I guess, is:

- a set of closed phones for home recording
- a more portable set of phones that won't annoy that guy on the bus. Bear in mind that my definition of 'portable' can be quite liberal... I don't really have a problem with the size or dorky looks of the SR80s in public; I just need something with less sound leakage. I'm not keen on sticking stuff in my ear canal, which rules out the IEMs.

I'm thinking the Sennheiser HD280 or the Sony V6 for home recording, which seem quite well-regarded in this area, but I can't find any definitive answers regarding some good portable phones. I am intrigued by the AKG K81DJ and Audio Technica ATH-ES7 though, but I'm very open to other suggestions.

Budget is around US$250 for the lot.

 

[jgonino]

look at the hd-25 -II. going for around ~104 on buy.com

 

[The Great Curve]

I should have mentioned that I'm from New Zealand, and most US sites (including buy.com I think) don't ship internationally. A lot of eBay sellers do, though.

 

[jgonino]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Audio-Technica-A...QQcmdZViewItem

these are also good for portable, and there in Australia.

 

[vegaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Great Curve /img/forum/go_quote.gif I should have mentioned that I'm from New Zealand, and most US sites (including buy.com I think) don't ship internationally. A lot of eBay sellers do, though.

The prices locally will be at a huge premium (most of the time), so it's usually best to buy internationally for us New Zealanders. Keep in mind that if you do import stuff, if the value is over NZ$400, you'll be charged 12.5% GST by customs.

I don't have any recommendations for headphones for you though, I'm only just starting to look at some closed headphones now.

And lol, I've shared the same experience on a bus when I wore some MS1's. Some people were playing music on their cellphone (it sounded horrible) so I turned mine up to my normal listening level... they threw stuff at me.

 

[The Great Curve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgonino /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://cgi.ebay.com/Audio-Technica-A...QQcmdZViewItem these are also good for portable, and there in Australia.

Wow AU$50 for the ATH-ES7s seems almost too good to be true - it's miles cheaper than other ebay sellers. How do they compare sound-wise to the Grados?

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegaman /img/forum/go_quote.gif The prices locally will be at a huge premium (most of the time), so it's usually best to buy internationally for us New Zealanders. Keep in mind that if you do import stuff, if the value is over NZ$400, you'll be charged 12.5% GST by customs.

Yeah I know, retailers seem to think they can get away with charging ridiculous prices here.

 

[applecore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgonino /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://cgi.ebay.com/Audio-Technica-A...QQcmdZViewItem these are also good for portable, and there in Australia.

mmm im not so sure about that store. i personally would trust them, just take alook at their $25 E4cs : http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Shure-E4c-Sou...QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Televator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegaman The prices locally will be at a huge premium (most of the time), so it's usually best to buy internationally for us New Zealanders. Keep in mind that if you do import stuff, if the value is over NZ$400, you'll be charged 12.5% GST by customs.

you think that's bad? Belgium has 21% VAT (which is slapped onto every 'luxury good' imported over $20 in value) and the import tax is calculated on the total price (= product value + shipping costs)

you would think that we'd be better off buying within the EU, but if we try to buy something from Germany (lower VAT) the German retailers often use 'a special Belgian price' (including 21% VAT)

 

[The Great Curve]

Ok, so it seems that the ATH-ES7 is a strong contender for out-and-about use.

What I'm wondering is which of the Sennheiser HD280 or the Sony V6 sounds best for casual music listening. I understand headphones like these tend to be quite analytical. Ideally what I want is something that is analytical enough to be useful for home recording, but also nice enough to use for recreational listening around the home as well.

 

[The Great Curve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecore /img/forum/go_quote.gif mmm im not so sure about that store. i personally would trust them, just take alook at their $25 E4cs : http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Shure-E4c-Sou...QQcmdZViewItem

"This listing (300158949113) has been removed or is no longer available. Please make sure you entered the right item number.
If the listing was removed by eBay, consider it canceled. Note: Listings that have ended more than 90 days ago will no longer appear on eBay."

Maybe they weren't so reputable after all? I wonder what happened.