[WyldRage]

I've recently been waging a battle against upgraditis, and I have fortunately been losing it. With my most recent purchase, a pair of Shure SRH840, I have begun to think about how many headphones I am using at the moment and how they fit into diverse roles I have given them. I became curious to find out if I'm the only one, or if you all have several headphones to fit your needs. Well, to get the discussion started, here are mine:
 

1. The Gymy:  The cheapest and toughest IEM I can buy, with a little thought to sound quality. At the moment, it's the Creative EP-630, for the distinction of being the only IEM I have never managed to break (apart for the much costlier IE-8). I had been using the Creative Zen Aurvana, which broke twice, and the Sleek Audio SA-1, until it broke three months back. I recently ordered the MEElectronics M9 during the sale, and it will replace the Creative... at least until it breaks.

 

1. The Portable: For use during transit in bus, subway and airplanes, as well as in bed. It used to be IEM, most recently the Sennheiser IE-8, until I got sick of them. Now I'm using closed, easily driven, isolating supra-aural headphones, currently the Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9. It has good sound quality, but isolation could be better. I have pre-ordered the Beyer T50p a long time ago, and I am looking forward to compare them.

 

1. The Traveller: The most recent role, it fills a need due to my work (exploration geologist), which means I am away from home for long periods, over a month at a time. The Portable used to fill that spot, but since I switched to supra-aurals instead of IEM, I needed more comfort. It's a closed, circumaural, foldable, comfortable, easily driven and "jack-of-all-trade" headphone, since I need it for music, movies and games. My newest acquisition, the Shure SRH840, fills the role, but I am having some doubts. The Ultrasone HFI-680 could also have been nice, but I could get the Shure locally at work (a 5 minute walk).

 

1. The Grado: Because you NEED a Grado. At the moment an Alessandro MS-1i. I'm sorry, I know it's cheating, since it's not a REAL Grado, but it's what I could afford at the time. Will be replaced by the Grado HF-2 when it comes.

 

1. The Big One: The one to use with my home rig: my high-end turntable, my self-assembled DAC (AMB Gamma2) and headphone amp (Millett Mini-Max at the moment, but it will have competition from the Bottlehead Speedball Crack and the HagTech Castanet when I get home (and build them)). Open, and the best sound quality I can afford. It's the *drumroll*
   Spoiler

   Alessandro MS-1i
   ... I know, it's disappointing, but this will change, the moment I will dare order the Audez'e LCD-2.

 
Here it is, my sad tale of upgraditis and head-fi addiction... Who am I kidding, I'm loving it! So, am I the only one using 5 different headphones for different roles? Am I weird? Or are you weirder?

 

[holylucifer]

Bass all rounder hd 650.
Everything else dt 48.
Ath-m50 for both portable and computer.

 

[Soaa-]

The mixers
 
K 240 DF and DT 48. They're both neutral, but with different perspectives. I lean towards the K 240 DF because they're much more comfortable to wear for longer periods. That may change once I receive my pair of DT 48 E earpads.
 
The listener
 
For critical listening, I prefer the DT 48. As I've previously said, it's an extremely detailed and dissected but consistent presentation of the source. Whatever I put in it, it'll cut it into tiny pieces, but it'll never lose anything.
 
The portable
 
On the go, I wear the DT 48 because of its stellar isolation. Of course, it can't block everything, and whatever goes through has an impact on sound quality, but it's still miles ahead of my next best pick, the HD 428. Besides that, odd looks from people around me are never a bad thing.
 
===
 
Yup, the DT 48 is pretty much everywhere. It's hard to beat its detailed and consistent sound.

 

[Mr Joboto]

The plug-it-in-anywhere-and-be-happy headphone, my ESW9s, they get the most headtime because they're so light and portable and sound so good out of anything that they're running out of.
 
The current home set, my Alessandro MS-Pros which are brilliant, but their duties will probably be shared with their polar opposite Sennheiser HD650s when they arrive.
 
The sacrificial Koss KSC75s don't get any use right now except when they're the only things in reach or I don't want my hair messed up (not really)

 

[joelpearce]

On the go/at work: DBI Pro 700.  They can go right into the bag without worrying that they will be damaged, and sound pretty good from a variety of sources.
 
Music/kicking back and listening: DT150 or Beyerdynamic DT990/600.
 
Critical Listening: Charteroak SP-1 (vocals) or T50RP (balance) or DT480 (clarity).  (depends what I'm listening for)
 
Movies/games: whatever's plugged in... but usually the 990/600 these days, unless I need isolation

 

[NapalmK]

Which can I use generally depends on my mood and my music selection at the time.
 
Transportable/Work: Pro 650, Pro 750
 
Isolation/Studying: HD280
 
Gaming/Movies: DT990, DT770/80, D2000
 
Music Enjoyment (Main Setup): D2000, AD2000, Pro 650
 
Laid back Mood (Jazz, Classical, etc): W1000
 
Grado (Rock music): Grado SR60i
 
Portable: CK10, CX300
 
Bedside: CX300, HD280

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Rock when home alone - Grado SR80
 
Everything else at home alone - AKG K702
 
At home with others about - AKG K44 (next to be upgraded)
 
Easily portable - Sennheiser PX200
 
Holidays and wanting peace - Goldring NS1000
 
Start of my vintage collection -- AKG K140 (1970s)

 

[PANGES]

Out at a library or school- Sennheiser IE8
At home alone- Grado SR80i (Soon to be replaced with Sennheiser HD650's)
At home with people- Audio-Technica ATH-W1000X
 
I need to find a good "out and about" headphones with really good isolation though. I found the IE8's to leak too much sound in when I need to go ride on an airplane.

 

[Sambones]

Portable: SFI'd vintage koss phones.
 
Gymies: SFI'd vintage koss phones.
 
At Home: SFI'd vintage koss phones.
 
Dust collectors: Concept CE-H, Realistic Pro 30, and Sony MDR-V6.
 
Is that cheating?

 

[WyldRage]

Quote:

I need to find a good "out and about" headphones with really good isolation though. I found the IE8's to leak too much sound in when I need to go ride on an airplane.

In my experience, IEM with balance armature, like the SA-6, isolate better than dynamic IEM, like the IE8. I know there is one made specifically for isolation, the Etymotic ER6i, but I have never heard them.

 

[WyldRage]

Quote:

Portable: SFI'd vintage koss phones.
 
Gymies: SFI'd vintage koss phones.
 
At Home: SFI'd vintage koss phones.
 
Dust collectors: Concept CE-H, Realistic Pro 30, and Sony MDR-V6.
 
Is that cheating?

Sure. Cheaters have more fun anyway.

 

[kingtz]

Gym: JVC Marshmallows
 
Traveler/Bookstore/Coffee shop/Library/Work: SRH840
 
At home listening: Soon-to-be either HD650 or AHD2000

 

[taisho]

Portable: Sennheiser CX-500 earbuds
 
Home: Denon D5000 / Sennheiser HD-600

 

[SanJoseCanJunkie]

K 702: Large choral pieces, very large orchestral works, gaming.
 
RS1i: Everything else.
 
DT250: Home portable.
 
K 271: Work - mostly talk and classical.

 

[Ridleyguy]

ATH-W1000X - at home with just about everything that is well recorded and when I need a closed headphone
 
AKG 701 - at home for solo piano and some choral, and Chamber Music works 
 
HD650 - all rounder 
 
IE8 - outdoors, at night, and travel
 
P5 - outdoors, at night, and travel