[HuntingBass1998]

Hey guys whats up?
 
So i recently broke my HD201's and my god was i sad! The best $30 i have ever spent, to just break like that - it almost made me cry. Oh my god, they were the ants pants. They sounded all so, so good. They had deep up-tight bass (especially with an amp), decent mids and incredible and interesting highs, in fact in my opinion they would render sounds i have never heard before with a decent sound card, and decent software. However there was a slight notice in how uncomfortable they could become after 2-3 hrs of listening and the sound stage was well just moot. I do not understand why everyone were paying them out, sure they look rather ugly (in fact i like that because when they are on your head it indicates to people you do not want to be pestered). All the hype about Beats headphones is annoying and like Beats are so much better than these is what people were saying - In fact i think it is a physiological thing with people just because you pay for overpriced cans that make the song uncomfortable, un-listanble and just dam right unnatural. I mean seriously? Want EXTRA bass? Want that terrible sounding mid-high sound like beats? USE A EQUALIZER! Beats cant even compared to this thing that is almost $170 cheaper, here in Australia.
 
Okay, okay back on track now. So from the HD201's little show they put on i am more than over impressed with Sennheiser. This is why I am choosing to go with them... AGAIN. Hopefully the build quality is better as we pay more.
 
So, here is my question:
 
What headphones are more suited to my needs? The HD449's or HD 380 Pro's?
 
I like uptight bass, big and boomy but not as cwap or as aggressive sounding as beats. I'm not overly fussed about the vocals as long as they are not muffled, and are visible in the mix. My biggest thing is how well the highs and treble are handled. The highs have to be highly immersive and render higher frequencies - like a breeze. I am not fussed on the comfort as long as it is not going to crush and kill my ears, also sound stage is again moot as I'm not overly fussed about it.
 
Overall, bright boomy yet uptight bass response, decent vocals and very detailed highs. I know in this price range I am stretching it, but which one will fit my needs better? 
 
OOh, ill be using a Fioo E6 as my amp, as i use my headphones on the go. (If your thinking about portability at this stage, portability is just as moot as sound-stage at this point of time, as i love bulky headphones)
 
Thanks for any response!

 

[robakri]

I have only tried the 449 and personally found them to be underwhelming for the price - especially lacking in clarity. Another thing to note is that they sit pretty poorly on my head and aren't very comfortable. They are made of plastic and are pretty wide and they don't do a lot of conforming.
 
From what I have read the pro 380 isn't turning any heads here either - although they are pretty popular here in Iceland I don't think they are especially good either. Out of the two, I would think the 449 is the better choice but 380s probably have the win when it comes to comfort.
 
I'm gonna be that guy and suggest something completely different. You could venture into the world of chi-fi and get a takstar pro-80 or even some of the DJ style takstars (HD6000) if you want elevated bass response. I have the pro80s and they are quite amazing and do have ample bass response for my taste as well as a very well presented bass response - as you said yourself, you can always EQ if you want more quantity, it is all about quality. My belief is that you may well be mindblown again with the takstars as you were with the 201s. If you can get them cheaper than the 449s or the 380s you can always invest in HM5 pads which make them far more comfortable than either of those you currently have in mind.
 
The reason I suggest a different brand is that while senns do have some excellent budget choices and great mid-fi/higher end choices, the phones between the two aren't as consistent in quality IMO.

 

[HuntingBass1998]

Thanks man! I will defienlty have a look!

 

[robakri]

you can check out the takstar thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/585356/the-takstar-technical-pro-gemini-greathon-thread/

 

[Mad Max]

HD380 wipes the floor with 4x9.  Absolutely worth trying.  It's what you want in sound and the build quality is great.
I like DT770Pro-250 better, but you will have to switch to a FiiO E12 or something for it.  An E6 will not do, not even close.  They will end up too quiet, among other things.

 

[AtrafCreez]

I have them  the 380 HD pro as my only pair and they were not so great. Checking online they mentioned that  without an amp for headphones I wouldn't get the rich sounds so I bought an Asus Xonar 7u amp which is now much better.