[Jackus]

Hey folks

I am off to New Zealand (from Britain) in a weeks time, and have inadvertently broken my old Senn 212 Pro's.. maybe it was for the best.

Anyway, I need some headphones for the very long flight - and for driving around (I am a passenger) while I am there. However, I'll also want to use these headphones when I get back, just for listening to music while I'm working at my computer, or in bed.. and watching TV with. I will do that quite a lot.

My question is, should I get the open Senn HD 595's, which presumably would be better for listening whilst working, in bed, tv, or the Senn 280 Pro's, which I guess will be better for the flight. Will the 595's be acceptable for the flight, or will they just be useless, and I won't hear anything? How uncomfortable are the 280 Pro's, and how much worse do they sound than the 595's? Are there any other headphones I should be considering?

Quick replies would be great as ideally I need to get these ordered asap. Sorry for all the questions.

Cheers

Jack

 

[mirumu]

The HD595s don't leak sound as much as some other open headphones but I'd think they are still too open for use in a plane. Either you'd hear everything outside and barely hear the music or if you had the volume higher to drown out the noise the leakage would bother those nearby. I have no experience with the 280 Pros so can't comment there.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirumu /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD595s don't leak sound as much as some other open headphones but I'd think they are still too open for use in a plane. Either you'd hear everything outside and barely hear the music or if you had the volume higher to drown out the noise the leakage would bother those nearby. I have no experience with the 280 Pros so can't comment there.

The only open headphones I've had experience with is the HD595s and they leak sound both ways quite easily and thus would not at all be appropriate for use on a plane.

I use my HD280 Pros at work for about 2 hours or so almost daily. They isolate sound very well and I enjoy them very much with loud music. They would work very well for use on a plane at moderate volumes; just be sure to break them in very well first.

 

[Jackus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif The only open headphones I've had experience with is the HD595s and they leak sound both ways quite easily and thus would not at all be appropriate for use on a plane. I use my HD280 Pros at work for about 2 hours or so almost daily. They isolate sound very well and I enjoy them very much with loud music. They would work very well for use on a plane at moderate volumes; just be sure to break them in very well first.

Thank you, sounds like I need the 280 Pros really. Do you find them comfortable enough during those 2 hours? And breaking them in.. for how long? I don't have that long until I leave.

Thanks.

 

[Radagast]

I think the 280s will do a much better job for the environments that you mentioned. I personally find the 280s comfy (8 hours a day), yet some people hate them because there are very clamping (in a way which leaves marks in your hair).

You've been warned!.

 

[Jo6Pak]

280s are great for isolation, I use them all the time to watch movies undisturbed...What I really HATE about them is the coiled cord...They are kind of tight on the head, but I have gotten used to that...I have some 595s on order right now, so can't speak about them from personal experience EXCEPT from what I have read before purchasing, you will hear everything around you and everyone around will hear you...Again, no personal experience, just reviews...I will continue to use the 280s for movies, but I prefer an open-back can for music, hence the 595s (upgrade from my HD
515s)...Good Luck....

 

[Jackus]

Thanks guys. I think I'll get on and order the 280 Pros (if anyone could answer the question about how much burn in, and how to do it, that would be great), because of the amount of flying I have to do (amounts to about 60 hours either in the air or at airports over the next month), and if I really don't like them, when I get back, I'll sell them for some 595's. But hopefully I'll like them.

Cheers.

 

[Jo6Pak]

They'll be great on the plane, but I wouldn't really call them 'walking around' phones (in the airport)...They are somewhat bulky and, as I said previously, that damned coiled cord is annoying as hell...

 

[1Time]

I'm just estimating about burn in times as I did this over a year ago. 12 hours minimum, 24 hours much better, 40 hours would be best. I put my HD280 pros on a card board box while breaking in that stretch them to the max which helped. Using them for 2 hours at a time should not be a problem, and the loosen up over time. I don't find the curly cord a problem at all. It allows me to move around a little at my desk at work and then springs back into shape to help keep it out of my way.

 

[Jackus]

Thanks all. 280 Pros ordered today, first class delivery, and I'll burn them in for as long as I can before I leave. Cheers.

 

[YamiTenshi]

HD280 need a lot of burn in before they start sounding good. I say 100 hours minimum to even start noticing a difference, about 200 hours before they start to sound "good".

Enjoy your 280s, I know I love mine.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

Have fun wearing the 280's for over 1 hour... I know i dont.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YamiTenshi /img/forum/go_quote.gif HD280 need a lot of burn in before they start sounding good. I say 100 hours minimum to even start noticing a difference, about 200 hours before they start to sound "good". Enjoy your 280s, I know I love mine.

I really enjoy my HD280s too. I noticed a difference with my HD280's even after only 24 hours of burn-in, and then after 40 to 48 hours later they sounded much better. I'm just suggesting this as a minimum burn-in. However, I do agree with YamiTenshi that they need a lot more playing time before they will sound their best. I've used mine for 2 years now and it seems they sound better now than ever. I've also found they sound even better with a better source (duh). Well, same source, but the station I listen to improved their sound somehow, trying to keep up with the competition. I use mine with online music from my desktop PC at my job and just today even when I had to stop listening to get up and go somewhere, I remarked to myself, "man, these sound good", and they really do.

 

[silverrain]

Use HD280 for flights but use HD595 for home. I have both, and the HD595 is better-sounding -- I only use the 280's if I MUST have sound isoltaion for one reason or anaother.
So, best solution is to have both cans, if possible.

 

[Jackus]

Well I got them today, but am leaving tomorrow for my first flight.. so not too much time to burn them in.

I have left them on quite a high volume, on top of a cardboard box, each ear area pointing in to each other.. with a CD on loop. I will probably try and give them 15-20 hours burning in - that's all I have time to do. Anything else I can do to try and speed the process up..? I guess not.

Cheers

Jack