[Funky-kun]

Hello, Head-Fi =) I decided to make this thread for a recommendation for me after reading for about two weeks here.

Here's what it is all about. Four months ago, when I got to college, I ordered my first "better" headphones in the face of Sennheiser HD212Pro. Up to then I had been using no-name headphones and my home speakers, Creative G550W. I could hardly believe that the pair of headphones I got for 60$ blew my speaker system out of the water! Right now I am looking for an upgrade to them.

This is where it begins to get though. My roommate likes to listen to his TV. And at above average volumes. With the 212's volume turned up a little I could easily ignore him. The headphones I want to upgrade to are the Senn 595's (and a Total Airhead to drive them), but I am afraid of two things. First, I read that they are a bit shy in the bass department, and I feel that might be hard on me, coming from the 212s, who I know have excessive bass. The other thing is that I doubt the outside noises will be bearable with the 595s, as they are open and leak a lot of sound in and out (I don't really care about bothering my roommate). As I see it I have two options:

1) Either get the 595s and use my 212s when there is sound pollution around me, or...

2) Buy a closed can.

The closed phones I have got my sights on are the Denon D2000 and the Beyer DT 770 /80. As my budget is fairly limited (300ish $), I doubt getting the D2000 with proper amplification will be possible. I found the 770s for 154$, however. There is also the new Senn 380s, but I haven't read any detailed reviews on them, so I think I'll stay away from them at the moment.

My source will be a Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer. The planned amp is the Total Airhead. I will use the 'phones mostly for music (mainly electronic (trance, drum'n'bass, ambient) and some rock in FLAC or mp3@320kbps) and gaming. I want the phones to be new, not used. With that in mind, what would your advice be, head-fiers?

Thanks in advance for any possible comments.

 

[oogabooga]

Seriously? Buy your roommate a set of headphones (or tell him to go buy a set) for watching TV, if he's not willing to turn the volume down. Being roommates is about compromise...

I've not heard the D2000 or the Beyers. I did hear ATH-M50s for a litle bit yesterday and was impressed. Good but not overpowering bass, nice mids and trebles. Not as nice as my HD600s, but the HD600s leak in noise quite easily.

I also use triple.fi 10 IEMs and find they do a great job with all the techno I listen to. Of course the sound is not airy as with open cans, but the isolation is incredible. The super.fi 5 might be more in your budget - also a nice IEM.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Get the headphones you want and give your old ones to your roommate.

Everyone will be happy.

 

[purrin]

If you go option 1, then you are compromised either way with both phones (either 595 or 212)

Get the Denon D2000 and do the markl mods on them. The Beyer 770s are inexpensive price wise but really need serious mods (i.e. Darth Grado) to sound good. The markl mods for D2000/5000 are just time intensive and something that you can do yourself.

Your Total Airhead should adequately power your D2000s for a long while until you decide you need to upgrade your amp. It's actually not a bad amp.

 

[apatN]

The HD595s leak a lot. Unbelievable.

FWIW, it sounds like you are the 'to be' audiophile. Get the headphones you really want. Upgraditis is inevitable.

 

[moonboy403]

As the saying goes, get the best pair of headphone you can with your money and worry about getting an amp later.

 

[opteronlive]

Tell your roommmate to turn down the volume, i really hate it when deaf people wanna make you deaf too.

He shoul maybe buy a headphone as well.

 

[BigTony]

Go Beyers; DT770/80 pro. Great sound, great comfort and great isolation. Well work well with no amp, but will rip it up when amped. They are also indestructible, which is handy when sharing a room!

 

[jellojoe]

The Denon D2000 don't isolate much.

 

[jaykay]

If your roommate doesn't want to turn the volume down, would it be out of the question for you to pick up a pair of iems? They would offer you the most isolation from the tv volumes. I'm not sure if you'd be comfortable with earphones that go in your ear though. If you are then $300 can get you pretty nice ones such as shure se530/westone um2/ue triple.fi. They'd be a pretty good upgrade over your sennheisser hd212. If you would rather have full sized headphones, I honestly wouldn't recommend the d2000 for isolation. I love the headphones and think they sound spectacular, but they really don't isolate much. I've heard my friend's dt770pro and they definitely have the edge in isolation. In either case, I'd imagine your planned x-fi->airhead rig would drive the iems/headphones well.

 

[mbd2884]

Sounds like the D2000 may be up your alley.

Also you should tell your roommate to stop being so selfish, thoughtless or inconsiderate or use all of those words.

 

[Tapiozona]

I have both the DT 770(80) and the D2000's and the denon's really blow them out of the water. Both phones can be listened without an amp but I think the 770's suffer more without them. IF you can afford either, get the better cans. They're priced more for a reason.

 

[atomiccow]

When my HD 650 is on my normal listening volume, my roomate has to flash his desk lamp at me to get my attention. Even when hes playing music on his laptop I can't really make it out what it is with the HD 650 playing music. It certainly doesn't sound as good as when the room is totally quiet but it doesn't bother me as much as you make it sound like it'll bother you... lol. I mean its not like you'll be hearing two streams of music at once.

Oh ya, and it leaks plenty enough sound when it is off your head in case you ever wanted to bother him back.. haha.

As for all the higher end closed phones I've tried, none of them really do isolating...

 

[myk7000]

I have a pair of d2000s and they isolate okay but nothing spectacular. I used to have a pair of Sony V6s which I'd say are still a step up from the hd212 and they isolated much better than the d2000s i have.

 

[SBD]

Play some pink noise through your speakers loud when he watches tv or works to see how he feels...no don't do that. The d2000 is a very nice choice and I don't feel it absolutely needs a good amp although it does leak some more noise than you would expect from a closed phone.