[Kheric]

Hi, I just want to say up front how much I appreciate all the help and information available here. You guys are really something else!

I've been checking this site out consistently over the last couple years whenever I've been in need of new headphones. Fortunately I've been passed over by the wallet-gremlin and have only gone through a few relatively inexpensive phones.

Anyway, I live in a tiny Manhattan apartment and currently use HD 280 Pros while I work from home all day (they block the early morning garbage men out, I can't complain!). My fiance (http://www.lindseymuir.com/) however is just getting the ball rolling with her singing career in jazz and needs a pair of headphones. She'll be using them to listen to herself singing for the purpose of learning new material. She's really tiny and my HD 280 Pros look rediculous on her.

Ideally she'll record herself singing into a minidisc player, then play it back while reading sheet music to learn the songs. Possibly even use it on the bus/subway while moving around the city. Since this isn't an intense application there's no need to spend lots of money, but I think quality is still important otherwise I wouldn't be here asking for help. So any suggestions would be great, and if she can get more than one use out of them that would be an added bonus!

Thanks guys, she'll really appreciate it!!

 

[PaulRivers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric ...Since this isn't an intense application there's no need to spend lots of money...

Wow, are you in the wrong place!

But seriously, if she doesn't need big or closed headphones, I just got the Koss KSC-75's. I don't know about the "clip on" style, but according to this article:
http://playlistmag.com/products/complete/66-detail.php

"The Koss KSC-35, KSC-50, KSC-55, KTX Pro 1, PortaPro, and SportaPro all use the same drivers as the KSC-75, just in different enclosures, so they share the KSC-75's impressive price/performance status."

Is she looking for big/closed headphones?

 

[Firestarter]

Well if she needs maximum isolation and durability, without using IEM's, the Sennheiser HD 25-1's and the cheaper 25SP's are solid choices. The new AKG K81 DJ's offer similar qualities at a lower pricepoint at the cost of less isolation.

The Sennheiser's have a somewhat 'industrial' look, the AKG's are more stylish. Although a lot smaller than the 280's, they're still pretty big headphones for a woman's small head

 

[wakeride74]

If she is doing serious vocal referencing the ES3 is supposed to be top notch! If she is looking for something cheaper the universal UM2 (also by Westone) has a very forward speaker-like vocal presentation and would probably fit the bill well.

 

[Kheric]

Roughly, I was thinking ~$200 to spend since knowing her she'll like the sound and use them everywhere. To give some reference she hates the ipod earbuds as they are much too big to fit in her tiny ear. I was concerned about the IEMs not fitting well because of this too. Clip-on or behind the head phones usually don't fit well either as tiny ears and head make for a bad fit.

I hope that helps, since I don't know quite enough feel free to ask questions! I may also be wrong in the IEM assumption I'm making about their trouble fitting her ear canal.

Edit:- The ES3's are crazy! A bit more serious than where we are right now!!

I'll see what else I can dig up on the UM1/UM2's! (If they need amplification or not, etc.)

Edit2:- As summer approaches I'm thinking that big/closed headphones might be bad with any heat. Also they limit any mobility outside of the apartment. If I can find IEMs that fit then they will probably be my bet option.

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric Hi, I just want to say up front how much I appreciate all the help and information available here. You guys are really something else!

Sennheiser EH350 (open)
Beyer DT250 80 ohms (closed)
Beyer DT250 250 ohms (closed)
AKG K271s (closed)
AKG K501 (open)

All have very good mids for vocals.

People who listen to opera say the AKG K501 is the best for vocals
if you use a powerful amplifier.

The Beyer DT250 is the most compact and will look good on her.

 

[PaulRivers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric Roughly, I was thinking ~$200 to spend since knowing her she'll like the sound and use them everywhere. To give some reference she hates the ipod earbuds as they are much too big to fit in her tiny ear. I was concerned about the IEMs not fitting well because of this too. Clip-on or behind the head phones usually don't fit well either as tiny ears and head make for a bad fit. I hope that helps, since I don't know quite enough feel free to ask questions! I may also be wrong in the IEM assumption I'm making about their trouble fitting her ear canal. Edit:- The ES3's are crazy! A bit more serious than where we are right now!! I'll see what else I can dig up on the UM1/UM2's! (If they need amplification or not, etc.)

IEM's - out
Earbuds - out
Clip-on's - out
Behind the head phones - out

Circumaural Headphones like the 280's - to big
On-the-ear headphones - won't fit because they're expecting different side ears.

What do we have left?

 

[Kheric]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulRivers IEM's - out Earbuds - out Clip-on's - out Behind the head phones - out Circumaural Headphones like the 280's - to big On-the-ear headphones - won't fit because they're expecting different side ears. What do we have left?

I apologize if this sounds picky. She has the same problem finding shoes, only size 5's fit and no one makes those (thank you God!). Let me reduce the options to: Circumaural, On-the-ear, and IEMs.

Dr. Sade, your suggestion of the DT 250-80s is great. Also wakeride74's suggestion of Westone's offerings was nice too. Firestarter, the Senn HD 25-SP might also work I'll see if I can find dimensions or something. If I can't find anything that fits then perhaps the cheapest custom-molded IEM is my best option. I hope this helps clear up any confusion.

Edit:- It's hard to keep up with you guys! So much information!

 

[PaulRivers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric I apologize if this sounds picky. She has the same problem finding shoes, only size 5's fit and no one makes those (thank you God!). Let me reduce the options to: Circumaural, On-the-ear, and IEMs. Dr. Sade, your suggestion of the DT 250-80s is great. Also wakeride74's suggestion of Westone's offerings was nice too. Firestarter, the Senn HD 25-SP might also work I'll see if I can find dimensions or something. If I can't find anything that fits then perhaps the cheapest custom-molded IEM is my best option. I hope this helps clear up any confusion. Edit:- It's hard to keep up with you guys! So much information!

Among the Koss headphones I previously mentioned, you might find this interesting:
From http://playlistmag.com/products/complete/39-detail.php :

KSC-55 ($20): Koss’ version of the behind-the-head “street-style” models. (If you have a large head, move along; the KSC-55 are clearly made for smaller noggins.)

There have been a couple of people who have agreed with me, and a couple of people who disagreed (in other threads), but I own the 250-80's, and I love vocals. And I would *not* recommend them for vocals. I find them very laid back, and male vocals seriously lack...um, "authority". I can't think of any other way to describe it.

The Koss headphones I mentioned have been the most "even, yet interesting" headphones I've actually bought so far.

The best headphones I've tried for vocals, so far, are the AKG 240s's. But they might have the opposite problem - they might make the vocals sound *better* than they usually sound coming out of the mike. They're also semi-open, and full sized phones - and I only demoed them for 2 hours, as I'm hoping to find an actually closed headphone. (I'm waiting to try the AKG 271's - full size and closed, they reportedly have a fantastic midrange, but are lacking in bass.)

P.S. I've also heard good things about the AKG 81DJ's for vocals, especially if you equalize like "acoustic" on an iPod, but I haven't tried them out myself.

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric I apologize if this sounds picky. She has the same problem finding shoes, only size 5's fit and no one makes those (thank you God!). Let me reduce the options to: Circumaural, On-the-ear, and IEMs. Dr. Sade, your suggestion of the DT 250-80s is great. Also wakeride74's suggestion of Westone's offerings was nice too. Firestarter, the Senn HD 25-SP might also work I'll see if I can find dimensions or something. If I can't find anything that fits then perhaps the cheapest custom-molded IEM is my best option. I hope this helps clear up any confusion. Edit:- It's hard to keep up with you guys! So much information!

Supra-aural headphones like the 25SP put pressure on the ear and can
start to hurt after a few hours of use. Depends on the person's sensitivity
to pressure on the ear. Custom IEMS might start to irritate some
people's ear canals if they are continuously being put in and out of the ear over long periods of time. You should consider how the headphones are
going to be used and over what periods of time since that can affect
comfort issues.

 

[Firestarter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric Firestarter, the Senn HD 25-SP might also work I'll see if I can find dimensions or something.

the cups of my 25-1's have a diameter of about 6.5 cm (or 2.5"), the 25SP's are the same size if i'm not mistaken. I don't think the size of her ears would be an issue, but the sound quality might. The AKG K81's really sound like the better choice, but that's purely based on the opinions of other head-fi'ers

Consider that the Beyerdynamic 250-80's might need an amplifier to achieve sufficient volume

 

[Kheric]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulRivers Among the Koss headphones I previously mentioned, you might find this interesting: From http://playlistmag.com/products/complete/39-detail.php : KSC-55 ($20): Koss’ version of the behind-the-head “street-style” models. (If you have a large head, move along; the KSC-55 are clearly made for smaller noggins.)

Okay, I'm trying to keep up here! I'll see what I can find about these.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Sade Supra-aural headphones like the 25SP put pressure on the ear and can start to hurt after a few hours of use. Depends on the persons sensitivity to pressure on the ear. Custom IEMS might start to irritate some people's ear canals if they are contiuously being put in and out of the ear over long periods of time. You should consider how the headphones are going to be used and over what periods of time since that can affect comfort issues.

This is a fine point. I can't honestly predict the future though. I assume that she'll use them for an hour at a time, 2 hours tops. She spends half her week devoted to her singing career so I don't think constant phone calls will be an issue in terms of in-out-in-out of the ears all day.

Keep up the great information! I'll have a ton to read when I get home tonight!!

 

[Firestarter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric Keep up the great information! I'll have a ton to read when I get home tonight!!

Good luck finding the ideal headphones for your fiance! Don't worry if you feel overwhelmed by our recommendations or the reviews you read, if a headphone gets mentioned a few times here, it can't be all bad

 

[wakeride74]

Kheric - I've changed my mind... I just went to CDbaby and listend to her music (her voice is freakin incredible!) and I think the Shure E4C would do very nicely and offer her a size and comfort that she could easily adjust to after a couple days. Aside from that they sound great! They do benifit from an amp but do not need one to impress. Good luck!

 

[Dr.Sade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kheric Hi, I just want to say up front how much I appreciate all the help and information available here. You guys are really something else! Thanks guys, she'll really appreciate it!!

Add the Alessandro MS1 (open) to the list. Compact and good for vocals.

If you got the extra money the Alessandro MS-PRO are the top of their line.