[connorwalsh123]

 
Hello Everybody,
I want to buy new headphones and sell my Beats by Dr. Dre because they sound muddy.
I love music and sound a lot. i listen to music a lot and basically every genre except country. here is the genre's i listen to in order of how often i listen to them.
1. Rock/Folk (Grateful Dead, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Phish, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles etc.)
2. 90's Hip Hop (Nas, CL smooth, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan)
3. Jazz (hank mobley, miles davis, lots of blue note stuff)
 
I listen mostly to Lossless files on an iPod Classic 160gb (or my iMac) through Monster Beats and i want headphones with good detail, dynamic range suitable for all genres, crisp accurate reproduction, decent comfort, deep, and clear bass is pretty desirable too.
 
i don't really need portable headphones i just like to lay down or sit on the couch and really listen carefully to the music and just feel happy and relaxed after work or before bedtime.
$300 price cap. mostly interested in the $100-$200 range.
 
What do you think is the best pair of Headphones for me?

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Do you need isolation?
 
I immediately think of Beyers for you. And then I think of Ultrasones. And of course I think of Grados.
 
Thinking: DT770 (closed) or DT880 (open). Otherwise, Ultrasone Pro 550 or even Pro 900. Grados, immediately thinking about SR225's.
 
In the lower range, I'd look at Shure 840's.
 
Very best,

 

[Tacoboy]

Superlux HD-668B, nice balanced headphones.

 

[fabio-fi]

HD 25-1 II's. 

 

[connorwalsh123]

i think i do want isolation. I've never heard any open-back headphones i don't know how much outside noise you really hear. i don't travel too often but i know i would miss my Beats if I'm on the airplane and all i can hear is jet engines though. what do i compromise if i get isolating headphones versus non isolating? isolating vs non isolating the same difference as closed back vs open back?

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

i think i do want isolation. I've never heard any open-back headphones i don't know how much outside noise you really hear. i don't travel too often but i know i would miss my Beats if I'm on the airplane and all i can hear is jet engines though. what do i compromise if i get isolating headphones versus non isolating? isolating vs non isolating the same difference as closed back vs open back?

Heya,
 
Open headphones are open. You hear everything around. Everyone around hears you too. Absolute sound leakage both ways. Open headphones tend to have better sound stages. They also tend to have less bright/forward lows/highs due to lack of isolation, but still do a brilliant job of it.
 
Semi-open headphones are essentially just open headphones. So see above.
 
Closed headphones isolate. They drop things by -18dB or so usually around you, so you hear less outside noise. And likewise, most people can't hear what you're listening to unless they're all up on you. I just did a flight from Miami to Jax the other day with my SRH940's (closed) and the kid next to me couldn't hear the acoustic I was listening to. But in a quiet room, someone would have at least known I had music playing even if they couldn't really hear it well. Closed headphones allow more to leak in than out typically due to sound physics. They're not noise canceling headphones, merely isolated. Closed headphones have smaller sound stages, and tend to have the ability to have more forward bass/highs.
 
No matter what you are wearing, you'll hear jet engines. Even if it's not your ears specifically, the rumble/rattle will be heard through vibration from all the bones in your body finally reaching your ear bones. You cannot unhear jet engines.
 
And finally it's a sound preference thing. I personally have been really enjoying closed headphones more as of lately. I used to adore open headphones more. Your tastes change over time anyways sometimes.
 
Very best,
 

 

[D Rose]

I currently own the ATH-M50's and they are perfect for me.  They're great for the price as well.  
 
 

 

[Tacoboy]

CALs (Creative Aurvana Live) or Denon AH-D1001 (used on eBay).

 

[Croozer]

Check out the Denon AH-D2000, you will really enjoy the bass response.

 

[pdupiano]

I'd second the D2000's
 
If you want a bit of isolation, you may want to look into In Ear Monitors and go down the list of the basic set of headphones (Shure, Etymotic, Ultimate Ears, etc...) But to be honest I would only look at this option if  you do a lot of traveling. If, as you stated in your first post, you'll do most of your listening on a couch, then I definitely recommend the D2000's and perform the Markl mod on the headphones to tame the bass. Actually you could probably try some damping material with the beats to see if it controls the muddy bass. Just grab some dynamat and apply it to the inside lining of the cups of the beats or D2000's.

 

[YoengJyh]

Try the B&W P5, it is a good stuff too. is about usd299.