[Ponczomarinero]

Hello

Can I please for any suggestion for in-ear phones or some portable well isolated phones with sound simmilar to Koss Porta Pro. I mean good wide stage with good mids and detailed sound. I think it will be something like Grado or Koss Pro. Budget 30 - 50 £.
I am flying a lot that good isolating is important for me.

Thanx

Matt

 

[BlackSushi222]

For your budget there are alot of choices to choose from.
 
FWIR, Sennheiser 218, 228 are closed and people say the 228 sound pretty detailed and open up even more with the "asteriod mod". But for planes, the isolation won't be enough.
 
Joker rates them 5/10 seen here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318/shootout-44-portable-headphones-compared-sony-mdr-xb500-alessandro-ms1-added-07-08
 
From his list, for good sound, isolation, and price range these headphones come into mind.
 
JVC HA-M750
JVC HA-S700 (I read has some sibilance)
AKG K81 DJ (K518 DJ)
AKG K181 DJ
 
There is also the Sennheiser 25-I-II which everyone raves about their isolation, and the good looking Phiaton MS400, M-Audio Q40, and Audio Technica M50s, but that's if you can stretch your budget even more.
 
I myself got the JVC HA-S650 and am pretty satisfied with the isolation and sound quality (Sounds like the PX100-IIs and Porta Pro). A review can be found here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/502546/jvc-ha-s650-review-pics#post_6785389
 
Hope this helps a little.
 
 
 

 

[Ponczomarinero]

Thanx a lot for advice.
 
Can you tell me one thing - i know px100, 200 and porta pro, that JVC HA-S650 sounds rather like px100 or rather like porta pro, because my px are usless after i bought porta pro (better details and stage, space provided for that price is amazing). I know that close enclosure sounds closer with worse stage than open enclosure that i am afraid about JVC.
 
I have tried last time sennheiser hd 228 with my iphone and they sounds similar to porta pros with better sound and stage than px 100. If they sounds like px100 I am still thinking about something else if there is more space and details i will buy it today, because good price.
 
Thanx
 
Matt

 

[BlackSushi222]

Hmm, I would say the HA-S650 has some characteristics of both PX100 and Porta Pro but some differences.
 
It has about the same detail as the Porta Pro
Tighter bass than both, and gets more full with burn in -  but less prominent, less boomy
More neutral sounding than both
Smaller soundstage than the Porta Pro as well as 3D imaging, maybe on par with the PX100
No sibilance, like both
About the same size as the PX100, just not foldable
 
So yea, cuz it's closed you'll get that "closed" sound, to me it doesn't sound too different tho.
 
Would the AKG K518 interest you? They isolate really well despite the comfort.

 

[Ponczomarinero]

Well well,
 
I bought JVC HA-S650, They are looking very atractive. Sound isolation is very good, i think it solve my airplain problem. 
 
Sound is specifically, something like PX100 but much better, there is no stage like in porta pros, but sound quiet atractive. 
 
JVC is rather stuff for music like Pendulum, Sub Focus. Newest Sade sounds quiet nice. Definitely JVC has better kick (whatever it means) than both px100 and porta pro; Billy Idol - Shock to the system has nice powerfull sound.
 
Bugge Wesseltoft sounds nice.
 
Even I am feeling lack of space in a sound, I will find a lot of pleasure with listening music. 
 
I have got impression that there is too much mids and they sounds like from metal can.
 
Fiio e5 is comming, we will see how it will improve the sound.
 
Can you explain me what does it mean "gets more full with burn in"?
 
 
 

 

[BlackSushi222]

Nice! Glad u like em so far!
 
When I first heard them I thought the bass didn't "fill" my ears.
You know that feeling when there is bass, and it "completes" the music or somethin like that.
But overtime I noticed it started to fill my ears, either that or I positioned them differently on my ears.
 
Btw do U also have the "creaking" problem like I have on mine?
 
And please report any differences with the Fiio e5 amp .

 

[Ponczomarinero]

There is no creaking like sounds. I have had something like that in my PX100
In the bottom parts of headbands when JVC has a screws,  sennheiser haven't had. Mayby it  cause some creaking sounds. Maybe it needs screw it stornger?
 
I will write my experiences with Fiio e5 and iphone 3g when they arrived.
 
Now I am using my Macbook Pro as a source, and VOX player (it has equalizer) I reveal that metal tin sounds from the mids. And VOX has oversapling which strong improved quality of sounds. 

 

[BlackSushi222]

Yeah, after I tightened the screws more, the creaking stopped a bit.
 
You are experiencing metal tin sounds? Hmm, maybe after some burn-in they should disappear. I don't notice that on my pair.

 

[Ponczomarinero]

Hmm
 
I am listening JVC with FIIO e5 amplifier. I just tell, that it was best spend of 15 Pounds on audio improvement. I was complaining the space or stage in JVCs compared to Koss Porta Pro , now is much better. All of sound became to listener a little bit. Fiio made better order and clearance in basses. Trebles are much more sharp. Sound is much more rich and have also better kick, dynamic. I have got impression that the problem with too amplificated mids gone, but it may be after few days of listening.
 
If you have 15 Pounds to spend for that tiny stuff, do it! it significantly improve the sound.
 
Specially my Iphone 3g sounds much much better. 

 

[BlackSushi222]

Wow so the Fiio E5 actually made the HA-S650 better sounding? That's awesome!
I can get it for cheap here too, maybe I might buy one. The thing is for me, I think the HA-S650 already sounds good enough, so I hope to find a place to audition amps before I get into that market. I personally, never bought an amp be4.