[SpazzMan]

pennylane, about how long did it take you? I'm finding mine thin and uninvolving as well, but I don't know if I should send them back since I can't afford the Beyer 250-80's (open phones have kind of dropped off my list now that I've found a way to block out my computer and my little sister).

 

[Snufkin]

It's odd that some people say the 280pros and the Beyer 250-80s sound very similar, yet a lot of people descibe the 280pros as being overly accurate (in your face) and a little harsh, whereas the 250-80s don't have either characteristic.

I wouldn't recommend the Beyer 770pros for portable use unless you're driving them from an amp, but they are my preferred headphone for dance/trance/industrial. Accurate enough to be .. accurate, but without being harsh, ample bass on all levels, down to insanely low frequencies.

 

[Magicthyse]

Oh yeah - I now remember what else put me off about the 250's. They don't fold, do they?

 

[pitstain]

Quote:

Originally posted by Magicthyse the DT250's look truly awful. Remember - these phones are for outside use... But yes, it looks like sonically they're what I'm looking for, bearing in mind what pitstain said as well.

i think the 250-80's are a simple & understated pair of headphones as far as looks go, which is just fine for me. all black, except for the letters/numbers (which are small), no odd shapes, and theyre not big or bulky. you'll look more 'normal' (if that's what youre going for) wearing the beyers than either the sonys or senns.

of course, sound is the biggest issue. judging by the music you listed and your opinion on the v700dj vs senn280 issue, the 250-80's look like the way to go. they can rock like hell and still provide the detailed sound that comes with a good pair of phones, all without being fatiguing. i havent heard any audio-technica's though, so maybe you'll be satisfied with those.

a lot of the music i listen to is heavily layered, with lots of little sounds going on in the background, so i need something that can do it justice. the beyers have accurate bass that you can really feel without drowning the highs and/or mids, and they work great with all of the music i listen to.

to me, the 250-80's sound more like a better (or maybe more likeable) version of the sony 7506/v6's than senn 280's, but whatever.

the beyers dont fold, which was a small gripe i had before i got the phones. this is my first pair that doesnt fold, but it's not really a problem because theyre small & light enough to be easily portable. some people here have said that the 250-80's are pretty damn durable, so that's nice to know.

i've been listening to my pair for most of the day, and i love em. thanks to those who recommended the 250-80's after i posted my initial complaints about the 280's. how could i not trust someone who uses cassidy as their icon (snufkin)?

does team beyer welcome people who actually like the v700dj's?

wokka wokka wokka.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by jlo mein well you know why the 700's sound good to these ppl....they listen to crap music....lol.... just reminded me of a commercial on tv: "we salute all the great Dads out there for coming out with awesome frases like 'I dont call it rap music, i call it CRAP MUSIC'".....lol...

*LMAO*

I listen to 'crap music', too! Make that CRAP MUSIC!!! (As in the fact that almost all recordings that I've ever bought are crap music, in an engineering sense.)

 

[delenda est Sony]

Magic---

I guess the simple answer is that no one headphone will cause universal affection among all listeners. I think my 280s sound just fine with a fairly wide mix of music --- techno, trance, jazz, death metal, classical, etc. They do sound better with break-in, but if you really think the V700s sound superior, than the 280s are not for you. The rather severe coloration of the 700s is not widely praised on this board, and I personally don't like em at all. But if you do, well, that's your opinion and as legitimate as any other one. I don't think you'll find many other non-Sony phones that sound like the V700; even the Beyer 250 is MUCH more restrained in terms of bass...I do however agree with your thoughts on the SR60 which is a great set of phones. However those are pretty far from neutral as well! The 280s are essentially flat frequency response phones, for better or worse. The Switzerland of the headphone world if you will...

As for appearance, walking around with anything other than the KSC 35s or Etys generally reeks of geekdom. Joe (and Joan) Public likes lil wee tiny brightly colored headphones that can barely be seen (and which sound like junk of course!). Unless you are a DJ actually DJing, wearing any mid or full sized phones will just make you look like an air traffic controller, so worrying over the aesthetics of the 280s is a bit futile. I can guarantee the chicks won't be flocking to a guy wearing V700s either! Which leaves you lots of time to focus on the music...

 

[millerdog]

I think the AT A9X will make you happy.
md

 

[Magicthyse]

Thanks delenda. I can understand why the V700's aren't praised, but conversely I can't understand on their performance to date why the HD280's are so praised. As you say and I wrote, they are indeed the Switzerland/Al Gore of phones, and they really do look cheap. The more I look at it, the cheaper it looks. I do however like the options (headset conversion - might be worth looking into) and the rebuildability of the unit.

They are excellent headphones for analysing music - you can close your eyes and 'zero in' onto any layer in the mix - but that's not generally what you're looking for an 'outside use' phone to just listen to stuff on.

I'll wait for the A-T's - and if I have any problems, the DT250's will definitely be on the shortlist after that.

Oh, I've had luck in bending the headband - a little. It's improved the comfort slightly. I left it overnight in a vise with a very low-power heat.

As for the looks - well, I had some 'non-audiophile' friends drop by yesterday afternoon and they all had a good laugh at the 280's. They like my V700's. And I did specifically ask for a pair of 'outside' phones when fishing for recommendations. If you can't tell the difference, then I shudder at your sense of style...

 

[DJ Darchinova]

Firstly that was a great comparison reviewby Magicthyse, keep this stuff up.

Just one question, my brother has already ordered a pair of the MDR-V700's, and it should be coming in a while.

Just how long should the 700's be burned in till its best potential is produced? And how loud does it also have be played at?

 

[pennylane]

spazzman,
i don't know how long it took. i didn't do any overnight burn-ins with the hd280s, but i did do a couple 8 hour burn-ins. besides that i just listened for the heck of it for i don't know how long.
they sounded analytical from the minute i got them, but i preferred the sound of my ksc-35s, which was much more lively at the time. i just accepted my hd280s though. i might have heard that they take a long time to burn in, but i did not want to return them. i use them mainly out of my turtle beach santa cruz, and i wouldn't be able to plug my ksc-35s in there, so i just stuck with the hd280s.
but like i said, one day, the sound just opened up and the music became MUCH more enjoyable.
so the bottom line spazzman, is just wait and give them time. if you don't like them after 50+ hours of burn-in, then go look for another set of cans... but be patient if they haven't burnt in for that long.

btw, before magicthyse, i seem to remember some saying that all the negative reviews for the hd280s were because the phones themselves weren't sufficiently burnt in (since they take such a long time)

 

[Magicthyse]

Quote:

Originally posted by DJ Darchinova Firstly that was a great comparison reviewby Magicthyse, keep this stuff up. Just one question, my brother has already ordered a pair of the MDR-V700's, and it should be coming in a while. Just how long should the 700's be burned in till its best potential is produced? And how loud does it also have be played at?

They required surprisingly little burn-in.

There are a few things to watch out with the V700's. It's not entirely unjustified that they do get some flak here, since we are all supposed to be 'head fidelity' freaks. Fidelity the V700's do not offer. I do agree with Eagle Driver in that the V700's over-accentuate the mid-bass - for example, the bass guitar instead of the kick drum.

You can play them very, very loud. Because they're very sensitive phones, too loud means that you can actually feel the drivers jumping around inside the housing. (time to get those ear hair trimmers out for the elderly, otherwise the itching will drive you crazy) But they give out most of their characteristics when played at sensible volumes.

This is NOT a phone for someone who likes the HD280 style of Teutonic precision, or the SR225 style of easygoing yet accurate presentation. It's for people who listen to 'ardcore tunes, like.

The clearest difference between the HD280 and the V700DJ was illustrated to me using "Stereo" by Spooky - a techno classic.

It's got this particular section with a crisp cymbal loop at the top end, an arpeggiated organ loop on top of a sweeping horn pad, atop a kicking drum sequence. I chose it specifically because it gave all frequencies a workout, and had easy-to-separate layers.

Using the HD280, I could hear every single note of the arpeggiated organ loop, and all in all I could hear exactly what was going on at every layer. But the sound was flat and the whole tune became uninteresting.

With the V700's, the arpeggiated organ loop became a near-unintellible 'bloop' sweep - but the character of the music is strangely enhanced.

Put simply, I was automatically listening on the HD280's, but I was waving my head around with the V700's. It's that kind of difference.

Tell your brother to listen to plenty of 'crappy' music!

 

[dohminator]

I think that you'll like your ATH A9x's. Make sure to burn them in. They improve a lot with burn in.

I have the A55's and they have the detail of the hd 280, but they also have some kicking bass. My headphones just grab me into the music. Enjoy the headphones and welcome to team Audio Technica.

 

[Magicthyse]

Quote:

Originally posted by dohminator I think that you'll like your ATH A9x's. Make sure to burn them in. They improve a lot with burn in. I have the A55's and they have the detail of the hd 280, but they also have some kicking bass. My headphones just grab me into the music. Enjoy the headphones and welcome to team Audio Technica.

I have to say that somewhat ashamedly, I was purely seduced by the shiny aluminum cups... Well all right I'd heard they were easy to drive, combined with what you said. Let's hope they don't disappoint...

 

[Commander]

I bought some Sennheiser HD280's because of all the rave reviews too, and was very disappointed. No bottom end, uncomfortable. large etc. Mine sound like a transistor radio. The best cans I have found for all music types as well as portability are the Sennheiser HD25's. They are quite small, the isolation is as good as the HD280's, and they give me the full musical picture. I can listen to them for hours and they never cease to amaze!

Other people have dismissed them as old school, but in my opinion they are one of the best cans I have ever heard.