Which CLOSED headphones do you use?

[BASSDRIVE]

I will be buying the Audio Technica M50's soon.

[morelia]

I use hd25

They appear to be on the the ear rather than over and around yes? I will never be djing so that is not important to me. All I will ever do is mix, master, and record (vocals, guitar). If they are on the ear I think (from previous experience) I'd find that a bit uncomfortable.

[DeepFiber]

Yes they are no comfort queens, I would suggest an akg model, they have many studio oriented ones. the term is supraaural (on year) and circumaural (around ear). If I were you I would think like this, akg- solid brand been around for ages, know their shit, then I would go out and listen to all phones I'm interested in, even make a quite expensive trip just to listen, because when you're about to part with the cash you need to know you chosen the right ones, and you can only know this by listening, and handling them, you will probably eliminate 2/3 of the phones you are considering by just having them on your head be it low mechanical quality, comfort, or whatever, you will probably have one or 2 phones you really like left after listening, testing and trying them.

A testride IRL is worth a 1000 words on the web..

[DeepFiber]

I would just like to tell you something about phones that are "on ear", they are compact, I do a lot of my listening in bed and with on ears you can still have your head on a pillow, even tilted quite a lot, but with the circumaural ones, they are jsut too big, you need to be sitting with those no laying down. IEMs even better, but quite expensive if you want quality. The dream for me would be a pair of phones that I could wear while laying with my ear on the pillow (on the side 180degrees) and not feel them.

[morelia]

Thanks for the pointers. Especially the AKG opinion. I don't care about the in bed or on the move use of headphones. Just plugged in at the computer. I'm actually pretty happy with the ones that came with my Sony Walkman for on the move, or lying down etc.

My intention here is to get a handful of decent options, then head in store to see what our small range of audio stores have on hand to try. I feel pretty confident I'll be able to try the Beyers, AKGs, and Shures. Anything else is a bonus.

[pandashake]

After 7+ years of using my AT M40fs, I just purchased some 770s. Simply put, it's gonna take some time getting used to the difference in low end, even though I really liked the low end of the M40fs. With the 770s, it feels like I have two speakers strapped to the side of my head instead of headphones.

[morelia]

Is that a good or bad thing. Too much bass or very nice. I imagine too much bass would be good in some situations but in others where a flat response is best (i.e. mixing) not so good.

[Zombie Queen]

I just got myself a second set of AT M40fs.

[pandashake]

Is that a good or bad thing. Too much bass or very nice. I imagine too much bass would be good in some situations but in others where a flat response is best (i.e. mixing) not so good.

Well, since I purchase them primarily for tracking, they are great. I don't even know if I would say that they impart "too much bass" - it's just that I can hear bass that I couldn't with my m40fs. The best way I can describe it is it's like you have a nearfield monitors on each side of your head. I've worked with the m40fs for so long that I know how they translate to my monitors, so I've mixed with them before, but it took a while to know what needed to be compensated for when I had the chance to listen on my monitors. The same thing is going to hold true for these. It'll take a year or two, but I'll get there with the 770s as well. Having said that, I'll probably buy a replace pair of m40fs sometime as well.

[morelia]

I tried some of these in store but the range was different each time. Makes it a bit difficult to compare. In one store I tried Shure SRH840, Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and Sennheiser HD280. The ATH-M50 were by the far the best IMO, sound and comfort taken into account. At the next store I tried Shure SRH840, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro and AKG 271 MkII. It was tough to decide between the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro and the AKG 271 MkII. I think the AKG sound better in the top end, but the Beyerdynamics are so comfortable, and have such a nice open sound, while still offering pretty good isolation. The AT's are quite a bit cheaper though so I'll probably go and try them again, just to make sure. I'd say for comfort, Beyer, then AT, then AKG. For sound, it's very tough but probably AKG, Beyer, AT.

So at least I've narrowed it down. Just have to choose between these considering cost, sound and comfort:
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250ohm
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
AKG 271 MkII

[v1o]

Have a look at the Headphone buyers guide
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/headph ... de-271258/



I have a pair Sennheiser HD280pros for tracking. Bought them after a month of research reading thru thousands of posts on audiophile 'geek' sites like Head-fi.org, Gearslutz and SOS etc. I found they mostly consider HD280's the best closed tracking headphones.

You're not gonna get much demoing HD280's in-store because you need to "burn them in" for at least a 100 hours - then they come into their own. They are also initially uncomfortable, but do loosen up getting more comfortable with time. Its been a year now, and my HD280's now sound incredible, they are very neutral and give a very accurate measure of the sound. Most headphones exaggerate bass response, these don't.

[hibidy]

I tried some of these in store but the range was different each time. Makes it a bit difficult to compare. In one store I tried Shure SRH840, Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and Sennheiser HD280. The ATH-M50 were by the far the best IMO, sound and comfort taken into account. At the next store I tried Shure SRH840, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro and AKG 271 MkII. It was tough to decide between the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro and the AKG 271 MkII. I think the AKG sound better in the top end, but the Beyerdynamics are so comfortable, and have such a nice open sound, while still offering pretty good isolation. The AT's are quite a bit cheaper though so I'll probably go and try them again, just to make sure. I'd say for comfort, Beyer, then AT, then AKG. For sound, it's very tough but probably AKG, Beyer, AT.

So at least I've narrowed it down. Just have to choose between these considering cost, sound and comfort:
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250ohm
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
AKG 271 MkII

I'd say I'm proud of you I think once you've decided between those 3, you'll not be unhappy. The only thing I'd say is that you mentioned comfort. As you might remember I have the athm50's and the 770's (though mine are the 80 ohm version) and comfort has never been an issue for either. I just remembered, the 770's were not too hard to find replacement pads for. Again though, I can't imagine you going wrong with any of those 3

[Muzik 4 Machines]

live: sony mdr7509
watching TV/bedroom: Senneihser HD280 pro

[morelia]

Have a look at the Headphone buyers guide
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/headph ... de-271258/



I have a pair Sennheiser HD280pros for tracking. Bought them after a month of research reading thru thousands of posts on audiophile 'geek' sites like Head-fi.org, Gearslutz and SOS etc. I found they mostly consider HD280's the best closed tracking headphones.

You're not gonna get much demoing HD280's in-store because you need to "burn them in" for at least a 100 hours - then they come into their own. They are also initially uncomfortable, but do loosen up getting more comfortable with time. Its been a year now, and my HD280's now sound incredible, they are very neutral and give a very accurate measure of the sound. Most headphones exaggerate bass response, these don't.

Well that will make it hard to choose them. I don't doubt you are right, but I'm not in a position to buy on faith. I can really only decide on what I can try and hear now. Thanks for the reply though. When I go back for another listen, I'll give them more time. To be honest I only had them on for a minute, because I found them to have a less open sound than the previously tried AT M50s, and I found them instantly uncomfortable.

I must have big ears though because the ATs were an only just fit, the AKGs wer slightly bigger but just grabbed the outer ear. The Beyers though, I could have an ear augmentation and still fit in.

[morelia]

I'd say I'm proud of you I think once you've decided between those 3, you'll not be unhappy. The only thing I'd say is that you mentioned comfort. As you might remember I have the athm50's and the 770's (though mine are the 80 ohm version) and comfort has never been an issue for either. I just remembered, the 770's were not too hard to find replacement pads for. Again though, I can't imagine you going wrong with any of those 3

Aw shucks.

Actually that raises a question. Because they are soft oads rather than soft vinyl (or whatever it is) will then need to be replaced more often?