[krtzer]

Once again, another lurker finally gets up the courage for their first post.

I've been looking around these forums for a while and finally narrowed my headphone choice down to two, the Sennheiser 438s and the ATH ES7s (i've noticed a lot of people really like the ATH-M50 but those are currently 125 at best which is $50 more than i'd like to spend [unless you guys can convince me it's worth it]. Both of them are within my price range and I have a few specific questions about each.

Anyway, how well do each block out noise and how comfortable are they. I've found a decent amount of info on the ATH models but not so much about those sennheisers. Also how necessary is it to amp them? I will most likely be listening to them from my 5th generation ipod. The bands i usually listen to are (in no particular order):

The Dillinger Escape Plan
Mastodon
Tool
Opeth
Nine Inch Nails
Converge
Fall of Troy
Isis
Neurosis

So it's a prog-rock/metal mixture for the most part (with classical thrown in for when I study.)

To sum everything up, I am looking for a good rock headphone that isolates well. Other suggestions are more than welcome.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krtzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Once again, another lurker finally gets up the courage for their first post. I've been looking around these forums for a while and finally narrowed my headphone choice down to two, the Sennheiser 438s and the ATH ES7s (i've noticed a lot of people really like the ATH-M50 but those are currently 125 at best which is $50 more than i'd like to spend [unless you guys can convince me it's worth it]. Both of them are within my price range and I have a few specific questions about each. Anyway, how well do each block out noise and how comfortable are they. I've found a decent amount of info on the ATH models but not so much about those sennheisers. Also how necessary is it to amp them? I will most likely be listening to them from my 5th generation ipod. The bands i usually listen to are (in no particular order): The Dillinger Escape Plan Mastodon Tool Opeth Nine Inch Nails Converge Fall of Troy Isis Neurosis So it's a prog-rock/metal mixture for the most part (with classical thrown in for when I study.) To sum everything up, I am looking for a good rock headphone that isolates well. Other suggestions are more than welcome.

Both are very different headphones. The ES7 tends to squeeze onto your ears, and may not be as comfy as you might like; on the plus side, the ES7 does reproduce a decent amount of quality bass even out of weak headphone outs. The 438 is a warmer version of the somewhat hyped 448, but you might still consider getting a separate headphone amp to go along with the 438 in order to extract most of the bass that the headphone is capable of. This is because the built-in headphone out of the fifth-generation "regular" iPod tends to attenuate bass output more than usual with low-impedance headphones plugged into it. This forces you to boost the bass using the iPod's craptastic EQ, resulting in serious distortion and clipping.

Both of those headphones do not isolate as much as the M50 does, largely because of their designs (the ES7's supraural design inherently offers less isolation than proper circumaural designs, while the 438's circumaural design has quite a bit more empty air space within its earcups than is ideal for such a design).

 

[debitsohn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle_Driver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Both are very different headphones. The ES7 tends to squeeze onto your ears, and may not be as comfy as you might like; on the plus side, the ES7 does reproduce a decent amount of quality bass even out of weak headphone outs. The 438 is a warmer version of the somewhat hyped 448, but you might still consider getting a separate headphone amp to go along with the 438 in order to extract most of the bass that the headphone is capable of. This is because the built-in headphone out of the fifth-generation "regular" iPod tends to attenuate bass output more than usual with low-impedance headphones plugged into it. This forces you to boost the bass using the iPod's craptastic EQ, resulting in serious distortion and clipping. Both of those headphones do not isolate as much as the M50 does, largely because of their designs (the ES7's supraural design inherently offers less isolation than proper circumaural designs, while the 438's circumaural design has quite a bit more empty air space within its earcups than is ideal for such a design).

I havef the ES7s and after the headband mod... well to be honest, i never tried them on without modding the headband... its not too bad. not as comfy as my hd650s but i was expecting that. that being said, its not that uncomfortable. bending the bars on the ES7 means that you can adjust it to any tightness you like. sorry i never tried the other headphones, i just wanted to comment on comfort. good luck on youur search. im sure youll get more knowledgeable posts than mine to help you out.

 

[K_19]

ES7's do squeeze a bit stock, but with the headband mod you can definitely make them clamp a bit less (and look a LOT less silly!). You do feel it on your ears, but it's no HD25 style clamp or anything... I find it tolerable enough. As for isolation, they do decently for typical outdoor use, just not heavy duty use such as using it on the airplane, bus, train, etc. And they sound excellent with rock/metal.

 

[krtzer]

so after looking around some more, I figured i can actually narrow it to the ATH-ES7 and the ATH-M50. So I guess i'll ask what the differences are between them and what are they good at. I heard a lot of people prefer the M50s, to ES7 but i can't find exactly why. So could explain which one they like more and why.