Suggestions to Closed sealing headphone with sound similar to Denon AH-D5000?
May 5, 2015 at 3:49 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 20

noobnorwegian

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Hi, I am an happy owner of the Denon AH-D5000, but sometimes it would be nice with a second pair with better sound isolation. They do not need to be portable and can be full sized. What I like with the D5k is the great soundstage, where instruments are placed all over the place. The sub-bass - low frequencies are excellent, I feel that many other headphones or IEMs lack the really low frequencies and affects how good bass guitar, drums, cello can sound. It gives instruments more body. The mid-range is also very nice, not to forward and not dark as some other headphones. Another important thing is that they actually handle poor recorded metal albums quite well.
 
I had the DT770 pro a few years ago, but the mid-range (vocals) seemed dark (just like the dtx 101 IEM). 
The sound in the Momentums was quite decent, but again the soundstage/room seemed to be so small/closed. They were also too small and uncomfortable. I tried the B&W P5 for 2 days, as I bought them for my brother. They seemed quite ok, and unlike many other they seemed better than the momentums by some reason (based on memory). Minus with the P5 is that the highs were to recessed and the mid-bass seemed increased. I would rather have a steady increase in bass to the low frequencies. 
 
I have not tried that many headphones so I will mention some IEMs. I like my Westone W60, but I prefer the bass in the D5k, as they go deeper and also have more presence (volume). The soundstage in these IEMs is excellent! From dynamic IEMs I liked the Monster MDT, but the vocals were a little to dark, highs a little to recessed.
 
Do you have any suggestion of headphones I should check out/read about?
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From what I have read the Fostex TH900 is not isolating enough and to expensive. The Shure 1540 seems also not to isolate enough.  
NAD HP50 is not the sound I`m looking for? Also a bit small in size. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x have had good feedback. Suggestion to other Audio Technica headphones? I live in Norway, so it`s not certain that I can find all kinds of brands in stores.
 
 
Music genre: Mostly power-metal and some melodic/symphonic black and death metal. 
Source: Asus Xonar Essence STX soundcard
Music files: 320 kbps mp3
Other uses: FPS gaming
Price range: 100-400 usd?
 
May 6, 2015 at 10:52 AM Post #3 of 20
The only thing I can think of that comes anywhere close to what you require unfortunately is a modified Fostex T50/20RP MKII
.... aaaaand not just any mod... but a custom mod that you'd have to do yourself.
 
The sound signature is not the same (obviously it can be tuned since it's a mod) but the isolation is SUPERB.
 
If you're curious....
http://www.head-fi.org/t/618659/fostex-t50rp-incremental-mods-and-measurements#user_Paxmate_Lattice_Mod_with_Cotton_or_Grodan_Rock_Wool
Check out mod number 24 'Paxmate lattice mod'.
 
I've never owned any other headphone with isolation this good.
 
May 8, 2015 at 4:51 AM Post #4 of 20
  I don't think there is one.  In any case I have not heard one yet.
 
Maybe the closest is the Ultrasone Pro 750--but it's not that close.

 
I have read some about the Pro 900 and Pro 750. The Pro 900 get better feedback as they are less forward/aggressive and have better cups. It seems that many complain about the treble on these cans, and I`m not sure if they are fatiguing or not. I have no problems with the D5000 treble, but is the Pro 900/750 treble more present or less smooth? The isolation seem to be quite decent, but not superb.
 
Have you heard the Ultrasone Signature Dj? Seems to be quite good with less exposed treble, although they are more expensive and not that many on the 2. hand marked.
I have not seen frequency response on Sig. Dj compared to the D5000, so I`m not sure if they go deep in the lower end. The D5000 have the highest point around 40 hz.  
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=283&graphID[]=933&graphID[]=2891&graphID[]=3961&scale=30
 
  The only thing I can think of that comes anywhere close to what you require unfortunately is a modified Fostex T50/20RP MKII
.... aaaaand not just any mod... but a custom mod that you'd have to do yourself.
 
The sound signature is not the same (obviously it can be tuned since it's a mod) but the isolation is SUPERB.
 
If you're curious....
http://www.head-fi.org/t/618659/fostex-t50rp-incremental-mods-and-measurements#user_Paxmate_Lattice_Mod_with_Cotton_or_Grodan_Rock_Wool
Check out mod number 24 'Paxmate lattice mod'.
 
I've never owned any other headphone with isolation this good.

 
T50 looks very home-made :) How do you think the Mad Dog would be compared to the Paxmate lattice mod?
 
May 8, 2015 at 6:09 AM Post #5 of 20
 
T50 looks very home-made :) How do you think the Mad Dog would be compared to the Paxmate lattice mod?

Not good. There's hardly any damping inside the Mad Dog, would probably isolate LESS than a D5000 
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 and definitely much less than the Paxmate mod.
Never owned a Mad Dog, but I've been through a few T50 mods and know exactly what's inside a Mad Dog, so I can guess quite confidently that it has barely any isolation properties.
 
May 8, 2015 at 2:20 PM Post #6 of 20
 
  I don't think there is one.  In any case I have not heard one yet.
 
Maybe the closest is the Ultrasone Pro 750--but it's not that close.

 
I have read some about the Pro 900 and Pro 750. The Pro 900 get better feedback as they are less forward/aggressive and have better cups. It seems that many complain about the treble on these cans, and I`m not sure if they are fatiguing or not. I have no problems with the D5000 treble, but is the Pro 900/750 treble more present or less smooth? The isolation seem to be quite decent, but not superb.
 
Have you heard the Ultrasone Signature Dj? Seems to be quite good with less exposed treble, although they are more expensive and not that many on the 2. hand marked.
I have not seen frequency response on Sig. Dj compared to the D5000, so I`m not sure if they go deep in the lower end. The D5000 have the highest point around 40 hz.  
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=283&graphID[]=933&graphID[]=2891&graphID[]=3961&scale=30
 

 
The Pro 900 is a basshead lite can.  The DJ is similar.
 
May 10, 2015 at 11:45 AM Post #7 of 20
The Ultrasone Pro 900 seems to fit your requirements, but being an owner of one, I find it very hard to recommend. The treble is excepionally sharp and the sound is very unnatural. I feel the Pro 900 is almost exclusively an electronic music headphone.... And even then, I have a hard time recommending it due to the sharp treble.
 
May 10, 2015 at 4:54 PM Post #8 of 20
hey, i came over after seeing your post in the big metal headphones thread.  I can add my two cents that Ultrasone is not a good choice as well.  They sound amazing with anything that has industrial elements(and obviously pure industrial and other electronic genres) but the ultrasone house sound just isn't a good match for something with guitar riffs being central to the sound.
 
May 10, 2015 at 7:16 PM Post #9 of 20
Actually, you should take a look at the Oppo PM-3. I hear the isolation is quite excellent, the amping requirements are minimal-to-none, and the bass goes incredibly deep. And you get a taste of that sweet, sweet planar bass. Check out the reviews on head-fi, the dudes who have reviewed so far are a very reputable bunch.
 
May 12, 2015 at 3:47 PM Post #10 of 20
Actually, you should take a look at the Oppo PM-3. I hear the isolation is quite excellent, the amping requirements are minimal-to-none, and the bass goes incredibly deep. And you get a taste of that sweet, sweet planar bass. Check out the reviews on head-fi, the dudes who have reviewed so far are a very reputable bunch.

 
I read some reviews here, and the first 16 pages of the Oppo PM-3 thread. They seem like god headphones, with proper isolation in and out, good imaging & soundstage for closed headphones. They look quite nice also! What I am not sure about is the amount of bass. I`m not sure if these are fun enough with enough impact for heavy metal. In Norway these have an retail price of 700 $, which is a bit expensive. But I know a hifi store where they sell these, so I will check them out when I have time. 
 
The Audio Technica ATH A900X seems good for the price: http://www.head-fi.org/t/650785/audio-technica-ath-a900x-thread
The whole wing system for the head seems quite poor though. The ATH m50x still seems tempting, with frequency response going strong all the way to 40-50 hz.
 
Edit: I see that the Denon D5000 is put in this V-shaped category with Audio Technica, among others... http://www.head-fi.org/t/581018/the-fun-v-shaped-club
 
May 12, 2015 at 4:32 PM Post #11 of 20
 
Actually, you should take a look at the Oppo PM-3. I hear the isolation is quite excellent, the amping requirements are minimal-to-none, and the bass goes incredibly deep. And you get a taste of that sweet, sweet planar bass. Check out the reviews on head-fi, the dudes who have reviewed so far are a very reputable bunch.

 
I read some reviews here, and the first 16 pages of the Oppo PM-3 thread. They seem like god headphones, with proper isolation in and out, good imaging & soundstage for closed headphones. They look quite nice also! What I am not sure about is the amount of bass. I`m not sure if these are fun enough with enough impact for heavy metal. In Norway these have an retail price of 700 $, which is a bit expensive. But I know a hifi store where they sell these, so I will check them out when I have time. 
 
The Audio Technica ATH A900X seems good for the price: http://www.head-fi.org/t/650785/audio-technica-ath-a900x-thread
The whole wing system for the head seems quite poor though. The ATH m50x still seems tempting, with frequency response going strong all the way to 40-50 hz. 

 
For what it's worth, I'll say this: I spent gobs of cash and time buying up different headphones in search of the perfect bass. My journey didn't stop until I finally decided to invest in some planars. The bass is so much more satisfying. Even the ones you don't think have a ton of bass will satisfy you in a way dynamic bass cannons simply cannot. It's worth taking a peek, for sure.
 
Back to dynamics, I've also heard the Focal Spirit Pro punches really hard, has good isolation, little-to-no amping needs and sounds good with metal. I haven't heard them personally, but I know Music Alchemist is pretty into them... so you could ask him.
 
The Audio Technicas are decent, but I'm pretty sure you'd be pretty disappointed with the bass coming from the D5K. I don't think those are what you are looking for. 
 
May 13, 2015 at 4:05 AM Post #12 of 20
  My journey didn't stop until I finally decided to invest in some planars. The bass is so much more satisfying. Even the ones you don't think have a ton of bass will satisfy you in a way dynamic bass cannons simply cannot.

+1 (also using HE-500
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)
 
Not everyone will agree I'm sure, but it's impossible to describe the articulate but full slamming sound of an airy-breathy bass response you get from a planar. You just have to hear it to understand. 
Dynamics will more often give a more 'sub-wooferish' creamy lush dance-club kind of bass. Nothing wrong with that, it's what some people chase after.
 
May 13, 2015 at 3:05 PM Post #13 of 20
   
For what it's worth, I'll say this: I spent gobs of cash and time buying up different headphones in search of the perfect bass. My journey didn't stop until I finally decided to invest in some planars. The bass is so much more satisfying. Even the ones you don't think have a ton of bass will satisfy you in a way dynamic bass cannons simply cannot. It's worth taking a peek, for sure.
 
Back to dynamics, I've also heard the Focal Spirit Pro punches really hard, has good isolation, little-to-no amping needs and sounds good with metal. I haven't heard them personally, but I know Music Alchemist is pretty into them... so you could ask him.
 
The Audio Technicas are decent, but I'm pretty sure you'd be pretty disappointed with the bass coming from the D5K. I don't think those are what you are looking for. 

 
I`m a little worried about the size of the Spirit Pro/Classic. I had the Momentum for a week but I thnk they were to small for my ears and I had to make an effort to get the ears inside. I didn`t think that much about it as I got them for free and had planned to sell them. My ears are about 65 mm in height, but the lobe of about 10-12 mm can fold back so they might fit better in the Focal One S. I see that there is one hi-fi store with the Focal One (not S) that I can try to check the size. Strange that there is so few places with the Focal Spirit headphones in Oslo...
 
Focal Spirit Classic/Pro 48 x 38 mm
Focal Spirit One S 55 x 45
Oppo PM-3 60 x 35 mm
Nad HP50 61x38 mm
Momentum 48 x 34 mm
 
One S vs Classic, http://headmania.org/2014/07/04/focal-spirit-one-s-review/  but I have not seen a direct comparisons with Pro.
 
I will try to listen to the PM-3 on Saturday (all stores in Norway are closed on Sundays) 
 
May 16, 2015 at 10:36 AM Post #14 of 20
Today I took a trip to a local hifi store. They were better equipped than I expected. They had most of the models of Grado, Audeze, Beyerdynamic, Oppo, HiFiman, Sennheiser and some Shure and Monsters (probably 70+ headphones). Although I wanted to hear the Fostex TH 900, Audeze LCD-XC, EL-8 etc... I went straight to the cheaper portable wall. 
 
The headphones I tried was: Focal Spriti Classic, Focal Spirit One S, Momentum M2 over ear, V-moda Crossfade M-100, Oppo PM-3 and last PSB M4U 2. As Im probably checking out other headphones later in other stores I tried all of them on my ipod  4 touch unamped. Maybe this was not clever? I was frequently changing back and forth between the different headphones, and I listened to Septicflesh - Lovecraft`s Death (well produced symphonic death metal), Nightwish - Wanderlust (medium produced power metal), Rhapsody of Fire - Unholy Warcry (well produced power metal, Blind Guardian - The Time Stands Still at the Iron Hill (my favorite check out hifi track, power metal). With some of the headphones I also listened to Arthemis - Noble Sword (poorly produced power metal), Within Temptation - Never Ending Story, Sabaton - Primo Victoria and Rhapsody of Fire -  Old Age of Wonders (to listen to some harpsichord and other instruments). I actually forgot to play Helloween - Eagle Fly Free. That track I have played on numerous hifi speakers and amplifiers at home and in stores. Not sure how long I stayed, maybe 1 - 1.5 hour?
 
The Oppo PM-3 was very detailed, but the overall sound was quite different from what I was looking for. Maybe I should have used an amp with this one. The sound seemed a little thin. The headphone sealed well and was very good on the head. Focal Spirit Classic was way to small! Don`t think I manage to get them completely over my ears. The treble and mid range sounded nice, and the bass was thigh, but maybe not enough bass quantity for me. This was the headphone I tried the least as they really didn`t fit me at all. The Focal Spirit One S was similar in sound, but the mid-range was maybe thicker and slightly more bass and treble was maybe not as clear. Bass was less controlled compared with the Classic. V-Moda M-100 had nice bass, surprisingly good as it is seen as a basshead can. The mids were very recessed and sounded a little strange and distant. Keyboard synth on Nightwish and instruments in Rhapsody of Fire sounded also a bit strange/unnatural. The cups were to small for my ears, and it was difficult to get a proper fit. The pads were soft and i think they were on top of my earlobes. This headphone, although larger than the Classic was also to small. It was really uncomfortable and hard to get the ear to fit inside. The ear god warm an irritated, so I had to put these aside. I originally didn`t like the first Momentum as the soundstage was small, bass bloated (a long time since I heard them). These M2 over ear sounded quite different from what I remember of the first Momentums. The soundstage was good and to me the bass seemed controlled and with nice impact. The headphones were light in weight, they fit around the ear and they did not feel as warm as the two from Focal. The downside was the mid-range, where male vocals sounded a little thin and not manly enough. With female operatic vocals it seemed ok, but with e.g. Sabaton, it sounded a little to lean. The isolation was not the best either. For me the largest surprise was the PSB M4U 2. They were a little big and bulky, but sounded quite nice. The mid-range had a proper ..thickness(?) so both male and female vocals sounded good. The bass had good presence but I don`t think they go that deep, or maybe some mid-bass disguise it?  The built in amp increased the amount of bass on the cost of treble presence, so i left it mostly off. The sound with NC was worse, so I left it off. Didn`t think that would matter as much as it did. At this time (the PSB was the last headphones I listened to) I was getting confused due to the number of phones, switching back and forth (and it was way passed lunchtime). But I think I should try to listen to these one more time. and also the NAD HP50 as PSB helped in producing the HP50.
 
Warning: This is the first time I have listened to several headphones at the same time, so you should not take my poorly expressed impressions as basis of your purchases, but only to help me find some isolating phones I can use as a second pair :)    
 
May 16, 2015 at 12:13 PM Post #15 of 20
B&W P7 is worth considering. I owned one before getting the TH600. Compared to the Fostex, the P7 is a little thicker with fuller mids, less v-shaped. P7 bass and soundstage aren't quite as good as the TH600 but in the same league IMO. Excellent bass extension either way. The P7 is also much sturdier and isolates well. 
 

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