[dmbaile2]

[size=medium][size=medium]Long story short I am interested in purchasing a nice set of headphones and I am a total newb.  I don’t even know where to start…[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]There are two things I like, thoughtful and interesting design (engineer by trade), and killer deals with stellar functionality.  Unfortunately for me the two rarely coincide.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]Hence on of my favorite “looking” headphones that I have found in my brief search:[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=medium]http://www.amazon.com/AKG-K-701-WHITE-HEADPHONES/dp/B000EBBJ6Y/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_4[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]I find this particularly sexy, though, In reality I should not spend $300 on a set of head phones, and to what end really?  An amp will surely be necessary for a nice pair like this.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]Adding to my confusion, when I consider convenience, I am left wondering if I would get more use out of a nice set of ear buds instead.  Although In reality I prefer over the ear headphones…[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]Before I dive off of “the depend” without an ounce of foresight driving my decisions, I decided to confide in this community and I humbly request your expertise.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]I listen to a little bit of everything and I am most likely looking for something that can be sufficiently powered with an iphone.  Though I can probably be convinced to use an amp, I see myself using the headphones less and less as the set-up becomes complicated.  I can be a victim of convenience at time….[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]I am torn between two directions, buying something like the AKG K 701’s, amp it out and jam.  Or take things a little slower and make sure that this is the right thing for me…  The cautious side of my leans toward grabbing a set of Audio Technia ATH-CKS77s for $50 of ebay just to get my feet wet.  (Any experience with either??)  Are over the ear vs. ear buds worlds apart sound wise?[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]Lastly, noise canceling; sound isolating (whatever the difference??) is another issue im struggling with.  Is it worth it?  It makes sense that if you drowned out background noise you don’t need to listen to your music as loud, less sound leakage may also mean that I disturb the people around me less, which is nice as I work in a busy office..  [/size][/size]

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Before continuing, consider these questions:
 
What kind of sound are you after? Do you want it bassy? Neutral? Bright or dark (treble)? Describe how you like your sound to be across the board.
Are you in need of isolation (privacy) or are you ok with open back headphones that leak and share the environment with you (ie, what you hear will be heard by those around you; and you will hear everything around you too)?
What's your maximum budget for everything?
Are you going to put style and design over form & function? If so, to what extent?
I take it you are very partial to white headphones? That said, what colors or designs are you looking at as a preference?
 
As it is, the K701 is not going to work well from an iphone without an amplifier; it's very anemic (bass is shy), and has a very dry and analytical sound (not a fun sound, it's a cold headphone, a tool, used for picking out flaws and ripping apart recordings, but some people enjoy them for casual listening... I don't, and I have them). They're also open back, so they offer no isolation (privacy). So based on what you described, they don't really fit your bill at all. If you're engineer, I would suggest you take a look at the information more than just looking at the shiny design so you can figure out what you're actually looking for.
 
Very best,

 

[AgentCOPP1]

Mal really hit it on the bulls eye. I think you're worrying too much about getting a "good" headphone, and you aren't considering what is really practical for your uses. You need to take into account all of the things that he said and after you ask yourself all of those questions, then you can start researching and figure out what headphones really fit your bill. The K701 is most certainly NOT what you are looking for.
 
Amping isn't that hard to set up, and if you have even a slight amount of technical know-how, it won't be hard for you to figure out. And why would you want to get your feet wet with IEMs? If you want to get into the world of full-sized headphones, IEMs aren't gonna do it for you (obviously). If you want my recommendation, I might consider starting with something like Sony MDR-XB700s (maybe even the 500's if you are on a budget). Those are a good pair of starting headphones and can really introduce you into the "better" aspects of sound. You don't need an amp for them, as they can be run just fine with an iPod or something of the like.