[CurseTheSky]

I just got my ATH-AD700s in yesterday - my first pair of "good" headphones. The sound quality is decent, though it didn't blow me away as much as I thought it would, coming from a simple Sennheiser PC-160 headset, and driving them with my Essence STX headphone output.
 
They're not bad, and quite comfortable, but the main thing that is making me consider returning them is the size. I knew they were going to be bigger than my headset, but I didn't realize quite how HUGE they would be. I think I'd be happier with a set of on-ear headphones rather than something that encompasses my entire ear.
 
What do you guys think? Comfort wise, I know that's 100% up to me, but would the M-80s be a suitable replacement? They're $100 more, but I'm willing to spend it for something that's comfortable (to me) and that sounds decent.

 

[Bossatiger]

With my little experience with the M80s other than at a friend's house, I can still ensure you that it will not even be close to as comfortable as the AD700s.
 
If you enjoyed the AD700's airy sound, you most likely won't enjoy the M80 sound. At least that is my guess, because they are completely different signatures. M80 is closed, less soundstage, more bass and lower end emphasis and less high end sparkle.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Hmm, tough decision then. I guess my biggest problem is that I just can't get comfortable with headphones that completely envelop my ears like the AD700s. The pads tend to rub against my cheeks and jaw, which causes them to itch after a while (stubble). 
 
Maybe I should just give the AD700s some time. Maybe they'll grow on me. Otherwise, are there any other headphones similar to the M-80s in size that you would recommend?

 

[CurseTheSky]

Are there any other good suggestions in the M-80 size category? Are the HD-25's around the same size, and what about SR80i's or 225i's?

 

[OJNeg]

You don't find the AT's comfortable? I really like my 900's because they fit all-around my head instead of sitting on my ear. I'd suggest you give them some time to see if you can get used to it. If you want something that is going to sit right around your ear, look into some portable models as they tend to have a much tighter fit.

 

[CurseTheSky]

It might just be the fact that I'm not used to wearing headphones quite this big. They're nice in the fact that they're light, and the head support at the top is wonderful. Something about the way they feel around my ears just doesn't work for me though. They itch a bit, after even just a few minutes of use. I figured that by going with something that is on-ear rather than around-ear, I might avoid that problem.
 
I guess what it boils down to is, if I was completely blown away by their sound quality, I would just forget the comfort issues and deal with it. Don't get me wrong, they sound good, I'm just now blown away. I guess if I could find something more comfortable with similar (or especially better) sound quality, I'd be happier.

 

[OJNeg]

As opposed to the Mxx series, the Axxx and ADxxx series are much more smooth and laid back. If you're into fast-paced rock music or thumping electronic music, they might not be the phones for you.

 

[MrNurse]

 
Quote:

It might just be the fact that I'm not used to wearing headphones quite this big. They're nice in the fact that they're light, and the head support at the top is wonderful. Something about the way they feel around my ears just doesn't work for me though. They itch a bit, after even just a few minutes of use. I figured that by going with something that is on-ear rather than around-ear, I might avoid that problem.
 
I guess what it boils down to is, if I was completely blown away by their sound quality, I would just forget the comfort issues and deal with it. Don't get me wrong, they sound good, I'm just now blown away. I guess if I could find something more comfortable with similar (or especially better) sound quality, I'd be happier.

It also depends on what sound signature you'd prefer.  As Bossatiger said, they're very different and the AD700s just as he has described.
 

If you enjoyed the AD700's airy sound, you most likely won't enjoy the M80 sound. At least that is my guess, because they are completely different signatures. M80 is closed, less soundstage, more bass and lower end emphasis and less high end sparkle.

 
The M80's do have noticeably more bass than the AD700's. For me, the M80's were lacking a bit of bass so the AD700's even more so. But the M80's have great sound quality if that's the signature you're looking for.
 
 
Back to comfort, I think you should spend a little more time on the AD700's, as you'll probably get used to them. They're very comfortable. I'd say they were more comfortable than my Pro 900's that I love so much.
The M80s gave me issues. They clamp a bit tight and even when you stretch the headband out a little, they would still hurt my ears after about 2 hours of listening. Others say that they're fine. Go on here and search "comfort" to read about other people's opinions.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/578207/v-moda-crossfade-m-80-reviews
 
I would suggest the HFI-580's. It seems that everyone here loves them or is strongly considering buying them. I love mine. They're also about $118-$124 online! They're slightly less comfortable than the M50's because they clamp a little harder, but I can say they're more comfortable to me than the M80s. Maybe I just don't like on-ears. If you haven't seen the M80's in person yet, they're a lot smaller than I thought- too small for me. Coming from the AD700's is a huge difference.

But if you're looking for something that's very portable on-the-go, the M80's are wonderful.
Now, if you do end up getting the 580's and they're still not comfortable enough, you can always spend $20 to replace them with velour DT250 which are VERY comfortable. SUBMIT
 
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I keep doing that with the submit button lol.
 

 

[CurseTheSky]

Thanks for the recommendations. I guess one of the biggest issues is coming from an on-ear headset, Sennheiser PC-160, and going to something that encompasses my entire ear. I'll give it a week or so, then make a decision.