[tinkertrain]

Hi!
 
I've been reading a lot of reviews about closed portable headphones lately, because I want to buy a pair.
 
I currently only have open headphones: Sennheiser HD485, PX100 and Koss KSC75.
 
I want to try a different sound to sennheiser and I don't want to spend a lot on them.
Here's what I have dig from countless threads:
 
 
Headphone                         Price in pounds
 
Beyerdynamic DT 235         45
Denon AH-P372                  40
Audio Technica ATH-SJ5     35
Philips HP 460                   23
JVC HA-M750                     44
 
I'm not considering the AKG518/81dj due to reviews on being uncomfortable and super bassy.
 
Top things to consider are SQ, decent isolation (not complete isolation necessary), semi-portable.
 
I like bass but not overwhelming and muddy. My main music would be Indie Rock n Pop (Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire, of Montreal...), classic rock (Beatles, kinks), some lo-fi electronic (postal service, junior boys), pop (Goldfrapp) anyway you get the idea.
 
So in this price range, let's say top 50 pounds, which do you think is best?
 
I'm in the UK, so is something to consider too. Also maybe you know of a good shop in London to go and try myself?
 
Thanks!
 
JPablo
Beyerdynamic DT 235 45
Denon AH-P372 40
Audio Technica ATH-SJ5 35
Philips HP 460 23
JVC HA-M750 44Beyerdynamic DT 235 45
Denon AH-P372 40
Audio Technica ATH-SJ5 35
Philips HP 460 23
JVC HA-M750 44
 
Beyerdynamic DT 235 45
Denon AH-P372 40
Audio Technica ATH-SJ5 35
Philips HP 460 23
JVC HA-M750 44
 
Beyerdynamic DT 235 45
Denon AH-P372 40
Audio Technica ATH-SJ5 35
Philips HP 460 23
JVC HA-M750 44

 

[tinkertrain]

Also, of course, you can recommend another pair that you'd think is better than any of these... 

 

[tinkertrain]

I went to a couple of shops today and tried the AKG518, I didn't like them they just didn't fit right, I also had a try at the ATH ES7 boy did i like those, though I could see why people are bending the headband. Also tried the sennheiser HD25-ii but these both are out the price range I'm setting.
 
From my list I only could try the ATH SJ5, which I liked, they are quite light and the sound pretty good, a bit of a downgrade from the ES7 (duh).
 
The ones I would like to try are the denon, but nobody had them. How would you compared them?
 
Thanks!

 

[129207]

Buy a secondhand AKG518DJ and mod them with the HD25 velour pads? You get the bang for your buck SQ with added comfort. I don't think there is any closed headphone under 50GBP that matches the 518DJ's in SQ. 
 
Or if you're up for an experiment: http://www.thomann.de/gb/superlux_hd_660.htm
Superlux is getting some rave reviews lately. Could be worth a shot.  

 

[tinkertrain]

Quote:

 
Or if you're up for an experiment: http://www.thomann.de/gb/superlux_hd_660.htm
Superlux is getting some rave reviews lately. Could be worth a shot.  

 
 This looks quite interesting actually... I'll take a closer look. Thanks 

 

 

[zephyr90]

Tinkertrain, how does 35 pounds for a lightly used DT-235 sound? They're only a few weeks old. I am totally in love with the sound, but have very sensitive ears so the comfort isn't right for me. Most people, including ljokerl in his shootout thread rate their comfort highly due to velour pads but somehow my ears don't take it very well, that's why I'm planning to sell them. I'm asking 35GBP shipped or 30GBP if you trade your KSC-75s. I am located in Germany and prefer paypal.
Best regards,
Zephyr

 

[prosound]

Or if you stretch your budget a little, you can find a new pair of ES7 on play.com for 70 pounds shipped. They used to do Goldring NS1000s for 49.99 pounds, but unfortunately the price is now up again. For that money these headphones are a steal: active noise-cancelling as they are, virtually any amp can drive them well with the noise-cancelling turned off. And after some burn-in, they sound great.
 
Maybe buying second hand is a good idea for deciding whether or not you like the closed sound.

 

[tinkertrain]

I actually saw those ES7 at play.com, but is not play that is selling them, is a seller called dealhunters, and I thought this is great! but then i saw this just below the price:
 
Comments: FREE UPGRADE TO ATH-ESW9 RED. BRAND NEW AND SEALED, QUICK DISPATCH FROM UK SELLER. 14 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE FOR ITEMS IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING
 
And went... mmmmm, so I looked at the reviews and there's a couple saying that they sell fakes, so I didn't want to risk it.
 
I should also mention that a fiio E7 is coming my way, so if you know one of these can benefit better from a portable amp like that, let me know 

 
PS. zephyr90 that deal sounds good i'll let you know, i just haven't decided which ones to go for..

 

[ljokerl]

Out of the sets listed in the OP and the AKG K518DJ, the only one I haven't tried is the SJ5. Out of the rest, the DT235 is my favourite by a stretch, followed by the K518. I wouldn't consider either a downgrade from the ES7.
 
The HA-M750 is really, really hard-hitting when it comes to bass reproduction and it gets fatiguing. The K518 is guilty of the same but its slightly more refined presentation makes all the difference. The P372 sounds a bit plasticky compared to the rest but it's a good headphone for the money (it's also a lot cheaper in the US). The Philips are nice cans but the build quality is horrid and the bass is slightly out of balance (too light). 

 

[zephyr90]

Comparing the DT-235 to the K518, the 518 is only the winner when it comes to portability and looks. They are pretty low-profile and stylish. The 235s are low-profile as well but considerably bigger than the 518s. They are, however, smaller than most people would imagine. Compared to AKG models with similar suspended headband designs (k240 etc) you don't look like an alien when wearing the 235s. But the 235s are a clear winner when it comes to comfort. Like I said it's still not enough for my ears to stand for more than say 30 to 60 minutes continuously, but the k518 I sent back immediately after trying them for two days. Pressure is the word to describe their fit. Plus sweaty ears from pleather. Pressure is also the word to describe their sound. Hard-hitting, can be fun, can be annoying. Either way, the strong bass overpowers the other frequencies. Especially detail and sparkle is lost, they are fun but also a bit muddy and muffled. The Beyers on the other hand feature a lot more detail, while they aren't for bass heads it still has good impact. They also feature velour pads, pretty good at this price. I kept the 235s for over a month, and thought about it for several days before I decided to sell them. I was having a hard time because I really like their sound, especially the sound stage/stereo imaging and positioning these little babies can produce in such a small housing. I'll probably go back to earbuds (PK3?) or KSC75 for portables now, as I can't stand IEMs and can't seem to find any portable supraaurals that don't hurt my cartilage after long use. BTW; are you considering trading the KSC with me? Only if you have a receipt though, as I'd like to have the life-long Koss warranty.
SJ5: Haven't tried them. My girlfriend has the SJ3, though. She paid 50 bucks for it and after listening to them, I couldn't understand why. I used them for a week when I was fed up with my HTX7s. They are slim, portable and comfy, but sounded really flat and muffled, the k518 were much better than that. The question is whether the sound of the SJ5 is anywhere near that of the SJ3 or not.

 

[mitkooo]

Have you considered Goldring ns1000? They come for 60 pounds on play.com and are honestly a steal, specially if you have the E7 coming. And then they are noise cancelling, so really cool for the tube Check out several review, I have them and find them amazing, although they look a little more nerdy than bose. 

 

[zephyr90]

Quote:

They come for 60 pounds on play.com

Read: used to.
I was *this* close to getting one until the price suddenly went up again. They're still available for pretty cheap on Amazon, though, just not for me as I don't live in the UK. I heard, however, that while you can still use them w/o batteries, they will not be very sonically pleasing. That's a deal breaker for me, especially as I tend to be oblivious, I'd prolly leave the NC on overnight and the next morning I'll wonder why the batteries are dead.

 

[mitkooo]

I can still see them for that price though. Not sure if play.com ships overseas, where are you from? 
 
Well, I have one pair and I left them overnight quite a few times, so far they died only once But well, I have a Fiio e5 as well, which makes the passive mode nearly as good as the active, with actually more bass and less sparkle. 
Link for the main thread on NS1000:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/255118/goldring-ns1000-noise-reduction-headphones
 
and link on the site:
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/8240767/Goldring-NS1000-Active-Noise-Reduction-Cancelling-Headphones/Product.html
 
I just got one for my friend last week so they should still be for that price  

 

[NewDuke]

 
Quote:

I went to a couple of shops today and tried the AKG518, I didn't like them they just didn't fit right, I also had a try at the ATH ES7 boy did i like those, though I could see why people are bending the headband. Also tried the sennheiser HD25-ii but these both are out the price range I'm setting.

Hey tinkertrain, where did you manage to try these on? I'm a Londoner and am in a similar boat. Thanks.
 

 

[tinkertrain]

Oh my god the choices! I am now looking at those Goldring.... I think I'm between them (really good price!) and the beyer from zephyr90... maybe both 

.... no not really, can't justify that... or can I?
 
NewDuke: go to Tottenham Court tube station, and take a stroll on the Tottenham Court Road, there's loads of A\V shops there, I tried each of those in a different one, hehe.
 
zephyr, I think a I want to keep the Koss, and actually I don't have the receipt here with me, I bought them in the US and it's in my house in Mexico (haha sounds complicated). Also I took them apart and drilled them haha, also known as krammer mod So I don't know abut that lifetime warranty being valid.... I'll let you know very very soon, tomorrow even if I take yours