[Inkmo]

So now that I have a job and a little bit of money, I've been thinking about getting a truly nice portable set up. I've been thinking about new mp3 players, possibly amps (just a little!), and I guess new portables, too. Most of my portables have died one way or another, believe it or not. Both my KSC75 and my Audio Technica SJ5 developed shorts in one of their channels. My HD201's cable is going south. I actually plan to get all of these recabled or replaced at some point in the future.

Something that is further complicating things is that I want to buy a couple of pairs of non-portable headphones. One is a pair of relatively new 595s that have been offered to me through a friend for about $150 (which I think is supposed to be a pretty decent price for those). Then, there's the 770s dropping in price on amazon. I've always been curious about those and might have to jump in. I always thought they might be fun headphones for an afternoon at the coffee shop, but I doubt they're portable. Can anyone dissuade me from these decisions? Should I shoot for both? All three? One over the other?

Anyways, onto the portables. I'm sort of a closed circumaural enthusiast, so this complicates everything. I got a pair of Etys plugs for concerts and don't mind them enough that I could consider the ER-6i, but I've never really been enamored of canalphones. Anyways, some stuff I was thinking about:

Audio Technica M50 - Headroom apparently loved these things. I have a pair of AD900s that I already love, so this could either be a good or bad reason to get more into the audio technica sound. How does this compare to some of the other expensive Audio Technica portables?

That new Denon Portable. I forget which one I've heard that one of those new Denon portables is truly exceptional

JVC HARX700 - Is that what it's called? I've seen on other forums that it is like a tiny A900. That's a lot considering it goes for about $35 most places. I haven't found one for sale, though. Is this thing portable?

Panasonic RP-HTX7 - What was the verdict on that one? I remember people got kinda excited about them, but then I didn't hear much else. At least they're beautiful. I never got one, but I noticed today that they carry a red one at target, and well, my torch was relit.

Beyerdynamic DT250 - I've always heard these are really nice, but I'm sort of confused by the different resistance configurations....

Beyerdynamic DT770 (2005 consumer) - I list this because it's so cheap. It's really bulky, but it might be good for maybe, travel...? I dunno. not so much "walking around" portable as "going and sitting places outside the house" portable. What is your experience to this extent.

Equation RP-21 - I guess I pretty much gotta mention it. I loved the RP-15 while I had it, and the HP3700 is even a pretty fine can for just 30 bucks. However, I've had four pairs of Equation cans and two have had slight channel imbalances (like, very close to my JND limen for dB, but still over). I'm sure it was just my bad luck, and maybe going to a more expensive headphone will ensure I won't have problems like that (it seems I get channel imbalances in more than half my <$50 cans, so maybe it's unfair to single the equations out. My marshmallows had the same problem, and one channel in my HD201s takes a noticeable dip at 5kHz that the other doesn't)

Of course, there are some of the old standards like the Sony MDR-V6 and Sennheiser HD280 (which I liked the one time I listened to it), but It seems these are sorta old hat. Does the list above eclipse these?

Is there anything else I should consider?

I'm kinda thinking I might jump at those two non portables, and just wait a little longer for the rest. That Beyer deal is good. I'm just too afraid that I'll find I don't Actually need all of those non-portables. So confused.

 

[tommytomickey]

 

[Lil' Knight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommytomickey /img/forum/go_quote.gif

You're really in a good mood today.
More than two posts with only the emoticon.

 

[Inkmo]

my guess is he's trying to buy something over in FS, and thinks no one is paying attention to him because of his low post count.

 

[Inkmo]

Is that it? Nothing but the spammer and posts pertaining to the spammer? :sigh:

anyways, I'm growing increasingly certain that I'm gonna get a pair of DT770s and try my hardest to take them outside

 

[philodox]

What about those new M-Audio Q40s? I've been thinking about trying them out myself.

 

[Inkmo]

hmm. I know nothing about them. I'll go and take a look, though. Thanks!

 

[Pianist]

I have a pair of M-Audio Q40s with around 20-30 hours on them so far. Right now, I am thinking of returning them. I also wanted to use them portably and they just don't work well for portable use IMO - they are too big and bulky and hardly isolate. Plus, I find their treble a bit peaky and harsh and also find that they lack depth and dynamics sounding quite two dimensional as a result.

BTW, I too am considering those ATH-M50. They look smaller, more portable and more comfortable than the Q40s and I also heard that they have good soundstage and imaging for a closed headphone.

 

[Inkmo]

Thanks for your opinion.

Hmm, isolation is gonna be key, I think. Whether it outprioritizes SQ, I'm not sure. Bulkiness isn't at the top of that list though. I've walked around in my Fostex T40s before fwiw.

 

[Bones13]

When talking "portable" I have to vote for IEMs. My best sounding set of cans is the UE-10pro. I love it in the car and on a plane. I can wear them walking about, but they don't work well if you are running, or doing anything more vigorous than walking due to the noise of the heavy molded plastic IEMs bouncing in your ears. Not uncomfortable, but noisy.

I really like my pair of ER6i IEMs for exercise, and when I want to appear inconspicuous. They really sound good if you can get them seated well. They do tend to pop out when the cable is thrashing around running or using the elliptical, but matched with a Gen 2 iPod Shuttle, you can't beat the SQ, smallness, and comfort of the setup.

I have moved to the Klipsch Image (original one) for the "inconspicuous" look, these are tiny, and don't stand out much. They really sound good to me and are easy to fit.

My other "portable" cans are the new AT ASW10JPN that is the new FOTM. I use these when in a hotel, or at the beach. I consider them transportable rather than portable. They function well with an iPod, and better with the Laptop/Predator.

I like you prefer the circumaural cans (HD650 and W5000) but don't care to lug them around, or trust them in others hands for that matter. My son's carry their AT A700 headphones with them all over, on the buses to events, and traveling on planes, and while studying. But then their only alternative to these are iBuds, and they have figured that out already.

From the list of stuff you have offered, I would choose the ER6i as a great sounding, very easy to use set of cans.

 

[Inkmo]

hmm... I'll have to take that into consideration. I really want that Beyer. Specially because it's so cheap. I don't think I'd really be able to justify getting the IEMs after that, too.

I'm not looking forward to trying to lug the beyer around... I hear it's like comically big.

 

[chews89]

whoa, all the headphones that you listed are quite "bulky", but if you dont mind the bulkiness for portable use then i guess its alright.

Out of the headphones you listed, i only own the rp-htx7 which i think is the smallest pair out of them all.

Its circumaural yet i would consider it a portable as it is only slightly larger compared to my es7s. Plus it looks awesome! I have a cream coloured pair and have got heaps of compliments and queries as to where i got them. IMO the SQ doesn't match my es7s, but they are decent enough to enjoy plus they acutually offer OK isolation. A point to consider is that they costed a 1/3 of the price of my es7s.

But since the DT770s are so cheap atm, i say go for it! I would get a pair for home use but too bad amazon doesn't post outside USA

Hope this helps a bit

 

[chews89]

Ohyea, so overall i think it's ok to have more than one pair of headphones for home use because if you are like the majority of Head-fiers, most of the time you'll listen to music at home hence portability isn't much of a concern.

So if this is the case, having one portable unit would be enough to just grab and head out. I don't think you mentioned a budget on how much you're willing to spend. If you wanna save money, go for the HTX-7s as they are circumaural AND portable which are your requirements i think. However, some say that they are not up to audiophile quality soundwise but i certainly think they are good enough

 

[chews89]

btw if you've seen pictures, the JVC harx700 is actually larger than the A900s (slightly anyway), since you have AD900s you could use that as a reference.

So IMO, no way is that portable, it's just way too bulky haha.

 

[chews89]

dayum, i just checked out your deviantArt page and you certainly produce some awesome art work!

Kudos to you

(haha i just took up 4 straight posts in this tread..)