[zephyr90]

Thread title says it all.
Looking for closed cans around the 50-75€ price range.
Please don't suggest AKG k518s, I've had those on my head and they were awfully uncomfy while sounding OK (not great). My next portables should sound better than those.
Also, please don't suggest M50s. I know there's a huge hype going on about them right now, but they just look too big for portable use, and they're way out of my price range.

No amp is going to be used, source is an iPod Classic 120.
They should be portable, not ultraportable but portable enough so I can wear them on the train or bus, while riding my bike, and for walks.

I heard the NS1000 leak a good bit of sound, I usually listen at moderate levels and often perceive other people's listening volume as very loud when listening to their Mp3-players. I am by no means a loud listener.

I don't need that much isolation, though, I don't want the sound to leak but I also like to know what's going on around me, especially when I'm on my bicycle.

The reason why I've included the Goldrings is because I like three things:
-Their price tag, 65€ ain't bad for ANC headphones
-I'd like to hear for myself what ANC sounds like, as I use a lot of public transportation
-Their cord, all of Goldrings headphones have one-sided mini jacks, I think that's very convenient for swapping cables

I'm only afraid that they would leak too much sound or that they don't sound good enough with the ANC turned off.

The reasons why I've included the Sonys:
-Portability, I heard they fold up really nicely
-Price tag, I heard they are no different from the much more expensive 7506
-Build quality, I think they look really sturdy, like they could take a good beating easily

What I dislike about the Sonys is their cord, I'm not sure if the coiled cord becomes annoying when I have the iPod in my jeans pocket and the cord is dangling around.

Could someone comment on the build quality of the Sonys, are there any metal parts on them?
Are there fakes on ebay?

Also, is there someone who has heard both cans and could compare them sound-wise?

PS: I included the WS70 because I've seen some pretty good deals for them on ebay lately. I'm not sure how they sound, but they are easily the best looking portables I've seen in a long time.

 

[zephyr90]

No one? I'd really love to hear some advice from you guys...

 

[Deep Funk]

How do you like to hear your music and what kind of music or artists do you listen to?

The Sony MDR V6 has its qualities but you have to like the sound, really. That is all I know.

 

[Shimmer]

I would suggest the Denon D1001, but they are quite expensive in the EU. Within your budget the Creative Aurvana Live would be pretty good. They have the same sound as the D1001, but you can get them new from Amazon for 74 euro shipped. They maybe cheaper somewhere else though.

 

[ear8dmg]

I used to own CAL!s and have the NS1000s. I spent about a week or two testing both against each other, as the CAL!s were bought an an 'upgrade' to the NS1000s (after reading hype on here...). The CAL!s just weren't in the same league and were completely outclassed by the clarity and control of the NS1000s.

However - I'd put a few caveats on the NS1000s.
- There is more leakage in ANR mode. I put that down to the hotter treble out of most sources and amps. With ANR off they leak no more than other closed headphones I've owned.
- Non ANR mode really needs an amp - preferably a good one. Without it some pmps and soundcards can make the NS1000s sound muddy - lots of flabby bass and recessed veiled / treble and mids. I think a good way to describe the sound would be 'slow'. Even a FiiO e5 or cheap CMOY is better than no amp though - like real night and day different if your source inbuilt amp doesn't have the juice for them.
- Treble sounds rather 'hot' in ANR mode. They are very detailed but it can sound rather fatiguing.
- ANR introduces a quiet, high pitched hiss. It's not noticeable when audio's playing but if you listen to something with quiet passages you'll notice it.

I have to say - despite the above I love the NS1000s. Incredible bang for buck. They also do as well for Dolby Headphone as any other closed headphones I've tried (see sig). With prices on play.com as they are I would just buy them to try them. You'll probably make most of the money back selling them on if you don't like them. I would say they may be currently the best headphones you can get new in the UK under £100. They're certainly the best I've tried for the price.

 

[Region2]

I own the MDR-7506 and I never liked the pleather ear pad, I changed it out to the beyerdynamic velour pads, though I gave up isolation due to it. I really loved my 7506/V6 but I do like the sound. The cord is a complete pain though. I thought I'd have to tie it around my waist like a belt to carry it around.

And to answer your question, it's mostly plastic but the part housing the driver is metal. It's fairly sturdy and I treated it like crap.

Have you looked at the ATH-M50 or the Senn HD280?

 

[ktsai1283]

Have you checked out this thread?

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/aud...family-474111/

Seems like the ATH-WS70 are made for more pronounced bass, which would make them more enjoyable than the MDR-V6, if you like that sort of thing.

The MDR-V6/7506 are studio monitors, so they'll have a flatter frequency response and might sound relatively more "boring".

There are plenty of threads that talk about the Sonys; look them up (if you haven't already) and see if they fit what you're looking for in a headphone.

The ATH-M50 doesn't look that big to me, actually, but I've never seen them in person. In pictures, they don't seem much bigger than the MDR-V6 and might even be smaller than the ATH-WS70. Hopefully someone else can confirm this for you.

Also consider the ATH-ES7; but since I've never held it in my hands before or seen it up close, I can't comment on its build quality.

 

[2rooi123]

Definitely WS70. better build better sound

 

[Sambones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktsai1283 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you checked out this thread? Seems like the ATH-WS70 are made for more pronounced bass, which would make them more enjoyable than the MDR-V6, if you like that sort of thing. The MDR-V6/7506 are studio monitors, so they'll have a flatter frequency response and might sound relatively more "boring".

No comments on the WS70's, other than that they look really nice. The V6's are candy in terms of sound. I just wanted to say, there's nothing boring about the V6's. Their midrange isn't the best, and their treble is a little peaky (see: hot, harsh) but, overall, they're great for the money. Amazon has them for ~$70ish, and Dakmart.com has them for $50, but they charge $12 shipping CONUS.

 

[zephyr90]

Thank you all for the replies.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Region2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The cord is a complete pain though. I thought I'd have to tie it around my waist like a belt to carry it around.

That's what I was afraid of. So it's not really like it retracts to maybe an arm's length?

I saw a picture on ebay and immediately thought: Dude, there's no way I'm dragging a cord like that around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Region2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif And to answer your question, it's mostly plastic but the part housing the driver is metal. It's fairly sturdy and I treated it like crap.

That's what I thought from seeing pictures, nice to know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Region2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you looked at the ATH-M50 or the Senn HD280?

I have, both are out of my price range, the Senns @ 90€ are about 20€ more than I wanted to spend.

So far, this is what I've learned:

MDR V6- good sound, especially lower range, mids a bit recessed, highs good but harsh. Great build, crappy cable, therefore-> No way I'm gonna use it as a portable.

NS1000 - these are also sound great for their price apparently, but are somewhat bitchy about sources, correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm not sure what kind of sonic signature they possess (when in ANR mode), could you say a few more words about this, especially mids?
It's really a shame so few people have listened to the Goldrings, or any of the Goldrings for that matter. AFAIK they make really great products for the price, the DR50 were 15£ a few days ago, and the DR150 are about 60£, on Rock Grotto people were comparing them to the HD600 and K701s. The prices have dropped a lot, the numbers after the DR used to be the prices they retailed for (except for the NS1000 of course).

Denon/Cal!s - there's no way I'm getting the Denons as the Cal!s have the same drivers for less. But after what ear8dmg has said, I'm probably not getting the Cal!s either.

WS70 - boy, do they look good, my girlfriend would love those. But I read they are somewhat heavy on the bass and am a bit put off by their "SUPER EXTRA IMPROVED MEGA BASS" tag. Also, if the mids suffer then they are a no-go for me.

ES7 - really nice looking, but don't seem sturdy enough for daily use. Especially the cable and the part where it enters the housing looks somewhat fragile.

What I'm looking for in terms of sound signature is something with forward mids, not in-your-face-grado mids but I don't want them recessed. Too many closed portable phones suffer from recessed mids, so I'm now looking for something that is somewhat midsy. Bass department should be present but not overpowering, I don't want it to invade the other frequency ranges. Treble should be sparkly, but I dislike harsh/piercing treble like I used to have on my Alessandro MS1. I am just under 20 years old and therefore prone to perceive some high frequency sounds as painful.

 

[2rooi123]

honestly bose on ear isnt that bad. very portable,comfortable, and sounds good too. it is unique in its own way

 

[zephyr90]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2rooi123 /img/forum/go_quote.gif honestly bose on ear isnt that bad. very portable,comfortable, and sounds good too. it is unique in its own way

There's no way i'm buying anything Bose. It might seem intolerant to judge before I listen but from what I've heard is that the B in Bose stands for bass before anything else. Apart from that, I highly dislike their marketing and pricing. The Bose on ears are 180€ and I'm sure the NS1000 would beat the shat out of them when it comes to ANR. I saw the innards of one of their speaker systems once - boy it was nasty!

I'd rather Buy Other Sound Equipment

 

[2rooi123]

oh im sorry to hear the 180 price tag in your place. i got mine for $100 though

 

[ear8dmg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zephyr90 /img/forum/go_quote.gif NS1000 - these are also sound great for their price apparently, but are somewhat bitchy about sources, correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not sure what kind of sonic signature they possess (when in ANR mode), could you say a few more words about this, especially mids? It's really a shame so few people have listened to the Goldrings, or any of the Goldrings for that matter. AFAIK they make really great products for the price, the DR50 were 15£ a few days ago, and the DR150 are about 60£, on Rock Grotto people were comparing them to the HD600 and K701s. The prices have dropped a lot, the numbers after the DR used to be the prices they retailed for (except for the NS1000 of course).

Yes they can be a little temperamental about sources. It's more the source's inbuilt amp really.

I guess they have two sonic signatures - like having two sets of headphones. The specs suggest so too

Quote:

Active Noise Reduction ON Frequency response: 15Hz - 23kHz Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.3% (1mW @ 1kHz) Sound Pressure Level: 101dB (1mW @ 1kHz) Max input power: 260 mW Impedance: 300 Ohms Active Noise Reduction OFF Frequency Response: 15Hz - 20kHz Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.1% (1mW @ 1kHz) Sound Pressure Level: 93 (1mW @ 1kHz) Max Input Power: 300mW Impedance: 100 Ohms

With ANR mode off they're warm and bassy. If adequately amped* they're rich sounding - full and warm with plenty of bass and smooth sounding.

With ANR on they give more prominence to the trebles and mids than with ANR off. The bass is still there - very tight, well controlled and punchy. It's so well controlled that if there's good soundstage information in a recording it will 'render' bass instruments and drums distantly from you - despite them having a small 'headstage' that's noticeable for close miked stuff. I've heard other headphones that do this convincingly - HD580s, HD600s ATH-A900s - but nothing in the Goldrings' price bracket (the Goldrings DR150s can approach it but aren't as well controlled at low frequncy as the NS1000s). The mids are really one of these headphones strong points. Vocals come across particularly well - presented with a realism that I would say is unrivalled in the price bracket. You'll notice a higher frequency extension shown in the specs. That comes across in harmonics and room acoustic cues that you don't normally hear so clearly in this price bracket.

There are drawbacks. That treble in ANR mode is pretty 'hot'. It's not kind to low bitrate mp3s, where cymbals can sound strident. Before using the NS1000s I was generally happy with 192kb/s mp3s. That bitrate (at least the ones I ripped) can be practically unlistenable for songs with cymbal prominence. 320kb and lossless are much kinder. The treble extension will be something that many aren't used to. It can be a bit in your face - kind of like Grados get criticised for sometemes. I've found using a tube amp, rather than solid state, can smooth the treble a little and I use the Goldrings with my Bravo (my only tube amp at the moment - cheap but very nice now I've sorted the noise problems with grounding) most of the time.

I've spoken to people that just prefer the NS1000s with ANR off. Everything's a little smoother and they're a little less revealing - a little less fatiguing for some.

So - sources and amps I've tried recently with the NS1000s with ANR off

FiiO e5 - surprisingly good - as in 'night and day' different. They make the previously flabby passive mode sound respectable - they don't acheive the kind of bass control that these phones are capable of though - and detail is reduced compared to more transparent amps. Bass boost gives more bass but loses treble detail.

Juice 2214 (I think - ebay seller) CMOY. The detail is there but they can sound a little thin. The fullness of bass that they are capable of seems reduced. I think dynamic range is reduced.

Bravo Audio v1 tube amp - A little like the FiiO but with more volume headroom but something's lacking. There's quite a bit of detail not there.

Sansa Clip - similar to the FiiO - maybe with a touch more detail and a little less bass control.

Victor SU-DH1 - another surprise. Very close to ANR mode with bass control better than any of the above (with Dolby Headphone off). With Dolby Headphone on the NS1000s really come to life. It's like listening to nearfield monitors rather than headphones. Dolby Headphone attenuates the treble slightly (have a look in computer audio for the many threads on using Dolby Headphone as an improved crossfeed - I prefer it with no upmixing plugin as I think it's closer to listening to stereo speakers and best preserves stereo recording soundstage information, as intended by the recording engineer. I tend to stick to DH1, as I find the 'reflections of DH2 and DH3 rather artificial sounding.

Auzentech X-Fi prelude - Flabby bloated bass and recessed mids and trebles. Needs an amp.

Asus Xonar D2 - Very similar to the prelude.

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music (retail and Dell OEM versions) - Similar to the other two soundcards. Amp required.

My usual music listening setup at the moment is either Dolby Headpohone from Foobar2000 and X-Fi Prelude or SU-DH1 into Bravo with the Goldrings (ANR on) or HD600s - I'm yet to decide which I prefer and the HD600s are still burning in. I never use prologic II for music by the way - it frequently sounds awful. Taking the NS1000s portable I use my Sansa Clip - either using active ANR or sometimes passive with one of the above portable amps. For Dolby Headphone on the go I use Foobar2000 / LAME to encode at 320mb/s mp3 with DH1 (PowerDVD 9 Ultra version of Dolby Headphone dll).

* Note: I'm really struggling to pin down what theoretically makes a good amp for NS1000 in passive (100 ohm, ANR off) mode. I think it might be current supply but I'm mystified why the SU-DH1 does such a better job than my other amps and sources - especially the Bravo.

 

[Deep Funk]

Nowadays I use two portables, the Sennheiser HD428 and the Panasonic RP-HTX7.

Both are quite different while still very enjoyable for their qualities. I switch between the two every day, yesterday the Panasonic, today the HD428. The HD4x8-series might be worth a look.