[Toby M]

Hey all,

I'm a yet another uni student looking yet again for full sized circumaural closed cans to help me study. Where I live isn't particularly noisy, but I'd like a decent level of isolation to keep out stuff like computer fans and people talking in other rooms.

I have a fairly monstrous amp so this shouldn't be a limitation. I won't be using these anywhere other than sitting at a desk so portability doesn't matter. Priorities are comfort, isolation and sound quality (all about equally important), I don't really give a toss about looks.

Ive been scouring this forum for the past week and so far have come up with:

AKG K271S - $330 AUD
ATH A900 - $300 AUD
Darth Beyers - $450 AUD (minimum inc. shipping)
Sennheiser 280pro - $200 AUD

I'm open to other options of course but I am NOT spending more than $450 AUD, so no "for just $100 more you could get..." please

. So far I'm leaning towards A900's or Darth Beyers but this is already pushing what I want to spend even for the minimum DB config. Unfortunately I don't have the option of trying out any of these in-store.

Currently I use HD555's all the time at home, and also have PX100's and CX300's for portable. I quite like all of these (555's being the best obviously) but wouldn't mind some slightly stronger/punchier bass.

I've heard the K271S has weak bass, so I probably wouldn't like it unless bass improves a lot with an amp.

A900 sounds like it'd fit the bill quite well, but I've heard it doesn't improve much out of an amp so I'm wondering if there are better options for use with my amp.

Darth Beyers look sweet but they're expensive and I couldn't send em back if I didn't like them.

280PRO's... well, they're cheap and the bass extension people talk about has its appeal. I guess comfort may be an issue over long periods.

I ruled out stock 770pro's because I've heard they're fairly harsh which is something I'm kinda sensitive to.

I listen to all kinds of crap so I don't know how much genre would help. If it makes UB40 and beastie boys sound good I'll be happy.

I also listen to classical and rock a fair bit when studying.

Btw I haven't actually heard any of the headphones I'm considering, I'm just going off what I've read so feel free to dispute anything Ive said.

So what do you guys think? If you could give a brief comparison to one of the headphones Ive got (HD555, PX100, CX300 - yeah, I know, all sennheiser

) that would be fantastic.

Cheers,
Toby

P.S. Please dont tell me to use search, Ive done that for the past week

Sorry if Ive missed stuff.

 

[Asr]

K271S w/ velour pads?

 

[Toby M]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif K271S w/ velour pads?

Does this improve bass? Ive heard K271S has pretty weak bass.

 

[nburge]

Hello,

I bought the hd280 pros i found them several places for 99 dollars or less. They
have opened me up to a whole new world i never knew existed thats why im here posting this message. I know they arent the best headphones you can buy
but these sound really good and im impressed at how clear they sound at high levels. they have good bass i listen to techno,electronic music,rap,rock etc.

I mostly use them to play games and the explosions sount great.they dont hurt your ears because they actually sit over the ears covering them so no ear discomfort at all,plus they have a softcushion that somehow fits perfect without resting on your ears and isnt big and ugly looking. when i have the headphones on i can listen to anything at ungodly volume levels. and there is only a tiny bit of leakage almost none at all it is great.I can now listen to what i want at the volume i want and not have to hear my wife nag about the noise.
when im on the mic with my friends they can hear whats going on in my house but i cant because of these cans ive had to start using a push to talk button.as long as you have something playing in your headphones you can block out outside noise easily. If theres no music or anything and you have the headphones on you can hear everything outside the headphones.
I am a noobie to audio but i hope i was of some help

 

[ricmat]

take a look in here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=241233

and here,

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=241060

Cheers!

 

[dandi]

take a look (and a listen if you can) at the Equation Audio RP-21's
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236104

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=240198

 

[MTL]

If I were you I'd rather not take the A-900 as a. - for a closed pair of cans - its isolation is fairly limited and b. there are better sounding alternatives around for about the same amount of $.
Why not try something like Ultrasone's Proline 650 for a change?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby M /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does this improve bass? Ive heard K271S has pretty weak bass.

I wonder who started that nonsense.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder who started that nonsense.

http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-bu...kg-k-271-s.php

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-bu...kg-k-271-s.php

Yeah, saint.panda wrote the same in his closed headphones review. Sometimes I wonder if there are two different versions of K271S floating around. As mine has almost HD650 bass quantity, some others here reported the same excellent bass response.
It might as well be velour pads, as they create better than stock pads seal, which is essential in order to get a decent bass response, in that respect W5000 is an excellent example.
OP should also seriously consider Denon D2000, as they will walk over all phones he listed, if they had better isolation, my beloved K271S would be bye-bye already.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, saint.panda wrote the same in his closed headphones review. Sometimes I wonder if there are two different versions of K271S floating around. As mine has almost HD650 bass quantity, some others here reported the same excellent bass response. It might as well be velour pads, as they create better than stock pads seal, which is essential in order to get a decent bass response, in that respect W5000 is an excellent example. OP should also seriously consider Denon D2000, as they will walk over all phones he listed, if they had better isolation, my beloved K271S would be bye-bye already.

Well, AKG is known to do that. Atleast 3 different K501 with different bass quantities, IIRC couple of K340, possibly two different K26P...

 

[fhuang]

2 version of K26P? is it just bad QC?

by the way, i think k271 has enough bass, sometimes too much

 

[Ichinichi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dandi /img/forum/go_quote.gif take a look (and a listen if you can) at the Equation Audio RP-21's http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236104 http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=240198

x2

i'm about to give these a whirl.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sometimes I wonder if there are two different versions of K271S floating around. As mine has almost HD650 bass quantity, some others here reported the same excellent bass response.

Out of curiosity just swapped K271S cable back and forth between Zu Mobius and stock. Man, what a difference, with Zu they extend higher and lower, the details articulation is head and shoulders above stock, and bass gets that visceral impact that makes chest vibrate. Stock in comparison sound boring and dull, with rolled off highs, smeared details and just barely adequate, impact less bass. Can't believe that this sort of difference can come out of just cable swap. Kudos to Zu Cable!

I just love these cans.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fhuang /img/forum/go_quote.gif 2 version of K26P? is it just bad QC? by the way, i think k271 has enough bass, sometimes too much

Thats why I said possibly. We dont really know. Only thing we know that one sounds like crap.