[tjsgarden]

I'm a 50 y/o male that listens to classical and jazz music. I currently use Sen. HD 570's.
I am interested in keeping a wide soundstage but want a "semi" closed design to block-out external sound. I will use the phones at home playing CD's through a Yamaha receiver.
I would appriciate suggestions and recommendations in the $100 price range.

First-time poster,
John

 

[JMT]

Hi John, welcome to Head-Fi.

Seeking semi-closed cans yet maintaining a wide soundstage is tough in my opinion. The few closed headphones I have heard sound rather constricted soundstage-wise. Many here like the Beyerdynamic line of headphones, and the Sony MDR-V6/7506 gets a lot of praise from a price/value standpoint. I would recommend that you use the search function at the top of the page and take a look at some threads discussing closed or semi-closed headphones. Also, check out HeadRoom's site. They have a ton of headphones and make comments around their sound.

HeadRoom's website

Good luck.

 

[danieln]

I own the 7506's, and, IMO, jazz and classical are their weakest points by far, bordering unlisteneable. As JMT pointed out, it might be tough to get phones that don't leak, have wide soundstage, and cost less than $100... Don't know about the Senns 280's and the Beyers, haven't heard them yet, but give them a try if you have a chance.

 

[wacomme]

How about the Etymotic ER6 canal phones?

Michael

 

[jopi]

Quote:

Originally posted by wacomme How about the Etymotic ER6 canal phones? Michael

Can only comment on the ER4P and soundstage is not their strongest suit.

 

[stuartr]

Some of the phones that people seem to like the most for this type of listening are the HD 580s and AKG 501's. The 501s are supposed to have an unusually wide soundstage. The problem is that both of these phones are open and they will usually cost you a bit more than 100 dollars. If you willing to search around you can probably find them easily for less than 150. Otherwise the ER-6s will provide you with very good sound and excellent isolation, but I cannot really speak to their soundstage. I have the ER-4S's, and while the soundstage is not as broad as my 580s, it is not something that bothers me too much.
The only thing it is possible to say is that you have to be willing to compromise -- find what is least important to you, and look at finding the other things together.
Stu

 

[dgs]

Tough request: $100 phones that sound good with jazz and classical and have good soundstage that don't need an amp. If I could name these phones, I'd own them...

You might want to try the Senn 497. They don't really need an amp, they sound pretty neutral (so probably pleasing with classical and jazz), and they have decent soundstage as I recall...Give them a listen. About $60 USD.

In the sub $100 range, you might consider going for even cheaper. My favorite sub $100 phones for classical and jazz are probably the senn mx500 earbud, although alot of people like the koss ks35. Neither of these is as clean as phones in the $65-100 range, but they are more musical than most, can be driven out of a receiver, sound reasonably neutral, and have decent sound stage.

Actually, you could probably buy all three of these for about $100.

None of my recs, though, are "semi" closed. Phones to block external noise too?...man...

In my opinion, the best sounding phones with classical are the etymotic 4s. They benefit from an amp tremendously, they cost $300, but they are the most articulate and musical phones for catching the nuances of classical and jazz music. Given the rude disregard of your price range here...I can say that the er6, which a few people have mentioned, IMO sounds a bit flat and compressed with classical music. There is a hump in the mid treble that pushes the orchestra out of balance to me. But at $125 USD, they probably sound better than your senn 570. Sorry to not be more help.

 

[starch]

If you really want/need closed phones <$100, the Senn HD280s may work for you. I really haven't listened to enough jazz or classical through them to form an opinion, but I'd think they'd be good because of the tight, non-boomy bass and detailed highs. The soundstage is pretty good for a closed phone.

 

[Matt]

...disagree, somewhat, about the Etys not having a soundstage. In my perception (with the 4S's), though there was the standard "in the head" phenomena going on most of the time, I felt where there was bloomy music, they bloomed and filled the room very well, so to speak. For instance, there was a clear perceptual distance, depth, breadth, etc. on the choral track on the Chesky Ultimate demo disc. It was solid imagery and quite pleasing.

Another instance that comes to mind is on a Musical Youth track where there is a Hammond organ (or something like that) playing at a long distance to the right front. The distance was solidly and obviously "outside the head" and had solid, believable depth.

With a good source, they will just knock you out in musical rapture (and they do darn good with crap sources, as with my 1990 JVC boombox headphone out). In my opinion, if you are willing to take the few days to get used to the Ety physical feel, they offer a very versatile, very pleasing experience for relatively little money.

- Matt

 

[dgs]

Quote:

Originally posted by Matt ...disagree, somewhat, about the Etys not having a soundstage. In my perception (with the 4S's), though there was the standard "in the head" phenomena going on most of the time, I felt where there was bloomy music, they bloomed and filled the room very well, so to speak. For instance, there was a clear perceptual distance, depth, breadth, etc. on the choral track on the Chesky Ultimate demo disc. It was solid imagery and quite pleasing. - Matt

Perhaps I wasn't clear before. The 4s has what I consider a pretty nice soundstage. Although I agree with the "in your head" phenomenon, there is clearly placement and a very "open" feel and sound to these phones that is both delicate and engaging. But the er6 is quite "compressed" sounding (all the instruments sound pushed into the same row...rather cacophanous with classical music).

 

[BenG]

The main limitation of the Etys perceived soundstage is the 'height' of the soundtage, and that the imaging of instruments and vocals can seem a bit small compared to full-size cans, which leads to the general and correct conclusion imo that the Etys soundstage is smaller to full-size cans.

But, The sound that the Etys does produce is more transparent in width, depth, and yes, even height than similiarly priced full-size cans -- The background is blacker and you can more easily hear the 3-D(front to back, side to side) pick up of the microphones -- Other similiar priced cans sound flat in comparison. The sound is just faster.

 

[fredpb]

I am a 53 year old who listens to classical and jazz.
As far as under $100 price range, perhaps Sennheiser 280's, Sony MDR7506/V6, or Grado SR80's.

My suggestions is get some SR80's from Headroom with their 30 day trial. If you don't like them, try the Senn's. Otherwise, that's it.

The Senn 570's are not bad for classical or most jazz. The only ones of the above that might sound significantly differerent are the sr80s'.

 

[Duncan]

My advice...

whilst not listed on this website, if you drop them an email... they're currently selling brand new boxed Sony MDR-CD1700s for £80 ($110)...

Whilst maybe a little over your budget (moreso including shipping) these are pretty kick-ass 'phone in my opinion for music that requires warmth (such as your own choice)... they're semi closed (whilst the back of the housings are closed, there is a vent around the earpads) and a steal considering that they originally retailed for $350