[vese]

Quote:

Well they sure are a lot more portable compared to other $1k+ headphones such as the PS1000 or the HD800 (and nevermind the Stax..).  You don't need a massive amp, and it's closed backed.

Oh of course but they don't seem like they can compete with the HD-25's or DT1350's in terms of portability, in my opinion (and definitely not IEMs..).

 

[guhmo]

Quote:

Oh of course but they don't seem like they can compete with the HD-25's or DT1350's in terms of portability, in my opinion (and definitely not IEMs..).

Yeah, that's true. It's more of a movable full-sized can than an actual portable headphone.

 

[Eric_C]

OP:
What "rankings" are you talking about when you say the V-Moda is ranked higher than Beyer DT1350?
 
If size and budget are no concern, I would get the T5p over the DT1350. More likely to be comfortable (since DT1350 is on-ear, but T5p is around ear), and build quality felt better too, based on an in-store audition.

 

[ClieOS]

Edition 8 is great, but for more portability with a reference sound, my vote goes to DT1350.

 

[AustinHorn]

I agree that in the sub $300 range the DT 1350 is the best on ear headphone I own & for short stints, 2 hours or less, it is generally the one I reach for ( over the Senn 25 or v-moda m80). But on- ear headphones make my ears sore so for longer listening sessions, I more often than not reach for the AKG m50s. They still sound really great & are more comfortable for my for longer listening sessions. I think they may be the best value in headphones. All 4 sound even better with a quality portable amp though the DT1350 benefits the most when amped & really separates itself from the others that way.

If you are willing to spend more than $300 or even $500+, then you have lots of other options though I feel you do need really good portable dacs/amps to get the benefits those better headphones can provide. I find the above mentioned gear plenty good enough for portable use. I do my really critical listening at home using my desktop gear.

 

[ohaider]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the HD 25-1 ii's. They're pretty small and sound amazing.

 

[Dacrazydude]

Quote:

I agree that in the sub $300 range the DT 1350 is the best on ear headphone I own & for short stints, 2 hours or less, it is generally the one I reach for ( over the Senn 25 or v-moda m80). But on- ear headphones make my ears sore so for longer listening sessions, I more often than not reach for the AKG m50s. They still sound really great & are more comfortable for my for longer listening sessions. I think they may be the best value in headphones. All 4 sound even better with a quality portable amp though the DT1350 benefits the most when amped & really separates itself from the others that way.
If you are willing to spend more than $300 or even $500+, then you have lots of other options though I feel you do need really good portable dacs/amps to get the benefits those better headphones can provide. I find the above mentioned gear plenty good enough for portable use. I do my really critical listening at home using my desktop gear.

Do you mean an AKG phone or the ATH m50?

 

[scuttle]

HD25-1-ii's are probably the portables most used by professional sound people. (Btw "reference class" and hi-fi sq aren't necessarily the same thing - "reference" implies that neutrality and accuracy are desired above all else. But the 25s are a safe choice for portable audio of any kind - take a look at Joker's comparison test thread.)
 
Also: what hw will be using to drive these phones? 25's aren't very hard to drive, but some of the other possibilities may be trickier. And even 25s are said to benefit from using a headphone amp with, say, some of the wimpier iPod models - otoh an amp would be pointless with a Cowon J3. 

 

[Arbite]

HD25-1-ii's are probably the portables most used by professional sound people. (Btw "reference class" and hi-fi sq aren't necessarily the same thing - "reference" implies that neutrality and accuracy are desired above all else. But the 25s are a safe choice for portable audio of any kind - take a look at Joker's comparison test thread.)

Also: what hw will be using to drive these phones? 25's aren't very hard to drive, but some of the other possibilities may be trickier. And even 25s are said to benefit from using a headphone amp with, say, some of the wimpier iPod models - otoh an amp would be pointless with a Cowon J3. 

I actually prefer the signature of the ESW9's to the 25's. IMHO, they just handle everything thrown at them better on average. However their sound is far from reference, being very warm and having a surprising amount of bass. However, the wood scratches easily, and while they are one of the best looking portables, they really aren't as durable as the Senns.

 

[kiteki]

 
Quote:

^^Yup, we need to know your budget. Assuming it's relatively unlimited, consider one of the flagship customs like the UM Miracles, the UERMs, the JH16s or the Westone Es5s. On the other hand, you could follow me in selling my customs and moving to flaship closed back headphones instead.
 
The top two being the Ultrasone Edition 8s and the Beyerdynamic T5p. i eventually got the T5ps as I found they have the best soundstage in a portable setup that I have heard.

 
Quote:

No matter how high end ur custom is you still cant match a good pair of headphone such as beyerdynamic T1 and t5p assuming they sound the same.

 
A JH16 is much more versatile and has different sound, but I second the T5p, here is my review - http://www.head-fi.org/products/beyerdynamic-t5p/reviews/6707
 
The T1 and T5p don't sound the same, that's just a myth.
 
The Ultrasone Edition 8 focus a lot more on looks than sound, they don't have any special technology to back up their price, just fancy plating.
 
 

 

[Jeremypsp]

I may sound ridiculous for saying this... but ATH-SQ5. 

 

[andiide]

The Beyerdynamic T1 and T5 obviously are quite large. Another option might be the T50p, smaller and more portable. Compare it to the DT1350, I actually prefer them

 

[kleefurd]

I would still currently rank the DT1350 the best portable headphones with a pretty close to reference class sound, referencing them to monitor speakers, though the low mids might be tricky as they are not accurate. If you were to mix on these cans, the low mids will surprise you. HD25 (I have them too) are too bright in my opinion, which is why I always shun Sennheiser headphones. AKG seems to be a good choice, but I have only used their full sized cans, never their portables. IEMs seems have gotten pretty flat in the last few years but the problem is I hate using them. But eventually ended up using them all the time because of their accurate sonic signature.

 

 

[Townyj]

The thread date... seems to be kind of old

 

[kleefurd]

Opppsss... I was searching for the same topic through Google. Should have paid attention to the date. Thanks for the note. ^_^