[veruvius]

Obviously not similar, but I have yet to decide if I want open or closed. It'll partly depend on how well the DT231 performs comparitively. This is my first step from the KSC35's, but I've read about tons of headphones. Mostly portable use to go with potentially a Creative Zen Touch, and my laptop (sans DAC). I don't crank the volume except, usually it was at 4-6 (out of 10) on my now broken PCDP. I used the KSC35's in the library, but was always paranoid about them being loud. Apparently the Grado's leak a lot. My backup choices for open vs closed are HD497 and the HD212 Pro.

Music tastes: various forms of rock, good underground hip-hip, jazz, funk.

Much obliged to all that respond.

 

[evo]

sr60 do leak quite a bit, both incoming and outgoing

recommend closed, although sound may be compromised

other closed phones to consider

senn px200
sony v6

px200, pads don't enclose ears, but foldable, come with a carrying case, dual cables
v6, great bass, phones enclose ears, but bigger profile, foldable, single side coiled cable

 

[Moonwalker]

Hi veruvius!

I have been satisfied with my Beyers DT-231 so far. Have heard grado SR-225 and must say the Beyers give me more passion from the recordings, either classical or rock/pop. In fact I think the 231 are one of the best closed phones, sounding better than many open phones in that price range too.

Recommended by me, although decision is up to you.

Bye

Moonwalker

 

[episiarch]

DT231's - at least, the pair I have - don't really qualify as closed. They look closed, all right, but they leak badly. Perhaps not quite as much as Grados, since there's at least an attempt at closure, but even at moderate listening levels they leak enough to irritate a spouse at the other end of the couch. I say that based on experience.

I do think the sound is pretty nice, though, for a headphone at its price.

 

[Kenny12]

if you want closed don't go the dt231 as they leak quite a lot. THe px-200 has alright isolation but the sound quality is much worst than the dt231.

I sold my dt-231 because i didn't think it was much of a upgrade to the ksc-50

and the px-200 was sold because it sounded so ....

 

[Moonwalker]

Hi!

That's true what episiarch and Kenny12 said about that not-so-good isolating ability of the DT231's. They allow quite a bit sound to leak in from the outside, but far less so than any Grados. But using moderate volume, I cannot understand what my wife says to me even whe she's near me. As for leaking out, I'm using moderate volume, as I've mentioned, so virtually nothing can be heard near my head when I'm listening to my favorite tunes at my favorite volume. For me, it's ideal compromise between sealing and mass (total weight=130 g approx.) of the headset.

I'd like to mention the apparent speed and 'transient fastness' of the DT231's. Their response to attacks and decays is at least in this price range quite unusual, I mean well above average. Everything sounds breezy, lively and at the same time spacious and deep, but other way than, say, on HD650 with their huge and cavernous space rendering ability. This headphone is more like everyday's experience - not obtrusive, not boring, just right for me. They gave me some wonderful times when listening to classical pieces and some well recored tracks from singers like Demis Roussos ,Alan Jackson and some others.

Moonwalker

 

[episiarch]

I'll agree with Moonwalker about the fastness and depth of these headphones. They're remarkably good at the price.

One really nice thing about them is that because the lows are so good and the highs are so distinct, I find I can turn the volume down extra-far without losing the music -- you still get the beats, you still hear some highs, and the music sounds like music instead of indistinct mush. So they're a pretty exceptional "background music" headphone.

 

[Jahn]

if you dont mind used, someone is selling their V6/7506 cans with nice beyer pads on the sale forums for a good price right now.

 

[JensL]

I gotta chime in too.

I've haven't listened extensively to the SR60, but enough to know that I don't like it too much. Nice, fast bass, but the highs didn't suit me.

However, the DT231 is a damn fine headphone for the price. It is definitely not as closed as the DT770, but it's adequate for home use.

As someone said once, the DT231 doesn't try to do something it really isn't able to. I think that sums it up quite nicely. Everything sounds just nice and controlled, not slow bloated bass and no shrill highs. Balanced and fine.

It's when you take a fairly low-quality speaker element and EQ it to do things it just can't to, that bad stuff happens. Distortion and bloat all over the place.

The DT231 doesn't look good, but it got it where it counts...

 

[veruvius]

Thanks for the replies, guys. So I'm getting the impression that the DT231 sounds so good because its not really closed. Maybe more closed than open headphones, but not as much as one would expect. Hrmmm... I really seem to be leaning towards the DT231, but I've heard so many good things about the SR60 that I still don't know if I can pass them up. I'll be ordering from headphone.com, just like with my old Koss', so maybe I should just audition both and keep my favorite. Why can't there be some local place to try these out? I'm afraid I might want to keep both.

 

[Kenny12]

if you have the ksc-50 i recommend saving more and skip getting a dt231, they don't sound that much better, i sold my dt231 in favor of my koss