[shouse]

Think I'm down to these 2 choices unless someone throws in secret option number 3.
 
Looking for something in the $50-$70 range for classic rock, classical, games, movies.  I'm looking for the best bang for the buck. Things that are important to me however:
soundstage
full rich sound
good midbass
sound isolation (at least decently so)
 
Electronics Expo has the SRH440's for $60 plus shipping and I can get the CAL's for $70 shipped from Amazon.  What do you think?
1. Shure's
2. CAL's
3.  ________(fill in the blank)

 

[nullstring]

two great deals

However, the creative aurvana live!s do not isolate very well, and so the srh440's may be a better bet

On the other hand, in my opinion, the Creative Aurvana Live!'s excel at soundstage, midbass , and "rich" sound

Are you sure you need isolation?

 

[shouse]

I need them w/ enough isolation so someone could sleep in the same room if they were hooked up to a tv.  Mind you, there will be a fan running on high to drown out very low level noises. 
I really don't see either one of those giving me problems in that scenario. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The CAL doesn't leak much unless you're playing them ear piercingly loud. Isolation is mostly letting outside sounds in, where  the CAL isn't perfect at, but that's really only if you play at low volumes. At moderate volume, the sound itself should cancel out outside noise well enough. I had them and had no issues with them either way, and I played them loud with my gf in the room.

 

[ostewart]

panasonic rp-htx7 good soundstage, good isolation, good for rock and classical, ive heard theyre not so good for tv though...

 

[TobaccoRoad]

Quote:

The CAL doesn't leak much unless you're playing them ear piercingly loud. Isolation is mostly letting outside sounds in, where  the CAL isn't perfect at, but that's really only if you play at low volumes. At moderate volume, the sound itself should cancel out outside noise well enough. I had them and had no issues with them either way, and I played them loud with my gf in the room.

If CAL really is the exact same phone as D1001, then they should leak just as much as D7000.
 

 

[shouse]

Went ahead and ordered the CAL's.  We'll see how they are when they show up. 

 

[laon]

CAL is kinda baffling, the isolation isn't great especially for a closed headphone (you'd still able to hear people clearly if you aren't listening to any music or on very low level), yet leakage is practically none, at least on my listening level.

Imo a perfect can for office.

 

[shouse]

Got the CAL's in.  Listened to some music and watched a movie with them.
Pros - better soundstage and bass than I was expecting
cons - Not perfectly sealed.  A little sound does escape and vice versa.  Not a big deal for my needs.
 
Overall, $70?, yea definitely.  
 
 

 

[dakanao]

I tried the Shure SRH-440 and 840 out today at my local big headphone store. I noticed they had this weird like ''radio sound'' as if their source was a high quality radio if you know what I mean. But I didn't have this problem with other headphones.

 

[Zelator]

I have both, CAL! and Shure SRH-440, and i think SRH-440 is better choice, i think CAL! have a low accuracy, and the bass is a little overwhelming, is right, sound is warm, and have a 3D sound, but soundstage? i don't think so, in middle range is weak too, SRH 440 by the other side, have a good accuracy, but have a metalic sound, in the high fq, 440 is heavier than CAL, but the pads are more bigger, in CAL, my ears don't fit, in 440 fit right...

 

[blueangel2323]

CALs have more bass. 440's are very neutral, with very little bass quantity (but the bass is very punchy, fast, and high quality). You feel the bass more than you hear it. Bass also rolls off gradually below 100Hz. But they are more detailed and technically superior to the CALs.