Over the ear headphones $300 max

saisunil · « **Reply #20 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 04:37 am »

for warmer sound shure 840 ... for brighter sound 940 ... brighter not as in grado bright but not warm as 840 ... I may be willing to send you my 940 if you are interested ...

JohnR · « **Reply #21 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 10:08 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 11 Feb 2012, 02:02 am

Closed

Why?

FWIW I'd not recommend the ATH-M50s, unless you like your bass boomy. Boom boom boom. Hm... it just occurred to me, that perhaps there is a correlation between the type of speakers you prefer, and the type of headphones you prefer... hm....

2gumby2 · « **Reply #22 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 11:16 am »

I have the Audio Technica ATH-A900 headphones and I love them. Sound is very well balanced and they are the most comfortable headphones I've ever experienced.

JohnR · « **Reply #23 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 11:26 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 10 Feb 2012, 03:31 pm

Will the Shure 840's and the Audio Technica M50S both be good for use with iPods or iPads?

Actually the M50s did work relatively well for me with an iPhone vs the others I tried.

OzarkTom · « **Reply #24 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 12:22 pm »

Planers are the most accurate, but they are all over $300 except for the Fostex's, all are open except for those Fostex's, and none, but maybe the Fostex T50RP, will work with an Ipad. The Fostex can be had for as little as $74 plus shipping at Front End Audio. Retail is $199.

http://www.frontendaudio.com/Fostex-T50RP-Flagship-RP-Model-Headphones-p/9999-00022.htm#

rklein · « **Reply #25 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 01:54 pm »

Quote

FWIW I'd not recommend the ATH-M50s, unless you like your bass boomy. Boom boom boom. Hm... it just occurred to me, that perhaps there is a correlation between the type of speakers you prefer, and the type of headphones you prefer... hm....

I would say that your theory about headphones and speakers are not accurate in my case. I own the ATH-M50s and I have changed my audio settings on my Cowan J3 a bit to the "leaner" side of bass. The M50s for what I use them for are stellar. I don't consider myself a basshead and my speakers are the TRT model from Selah Audio which are rated at 45hz - 20K (+2/-3db).

If I were to get cans for critical listening, I would lean towards the Beyer Dynamic line.

Regards,

Randy

Turnandcough · « **Reply #26 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 02:34 pm »

I've owned Grados SR-60/225(sweaty in summer), Sennheiser 600(need HP amp) and recently purchased a set of Shure 840's. I loved the sound of the Shures and they work really well without a HP amp but I found them rather uncomfortable. They're heavy and cumbersome and kept sliding off my head when I leaned forward. As much as it hurt me I returned them and settled for a set of Beyer 880(250 ohm version) They're lighter, more comfortable and sound decent without a HP amp. However if sound is your no.1 priority and you don't have a HP amp I'd probably go with the Shures or some Grados. if you own a HP amp and comfort is important the 880s might be a good compromise.

JohnR · « **Reply #27 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 02:52 pm »

Quote from: rklein on 13 Feb 2012, 01:54 pm

I would say that your theory about headphones and speakers are not accurate in my case. I own the ATH-M50s and I have changed my audio settings on my Cowan J3 a bit to the "leaner" side of bass. The M50s for what I use them for are stellar. I don't consider myself a basshead and my speakers are the TRT model from Selah Audio which are rated at 45hz - 20K (+2/-3db).

"Theory" might be overstating - more an off-the-cuff speculation. However, your speakers are closed, and you prefer closed headphones. I rest my case (flimsy though it may be)

rklein · « **Reply #28 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 03:32 pm »

Quote

"Theory" might be overstating - more an off-the-cuff speculation. However, your speakers are closed, and you prefer closed headphones. I rest my case (flimsy though it may be)

JohnR:

I never stated that I prefer closed headphones. I was just responding to a question of why I have the ATH-50S's in the first place. I was actually looking for a closed back can as I wanted the option of listening to either TV or my Cowan J3 without bothering my wife. The OP gave no info as to what he was going to use headphones for.

I actually have a pair of Stax(very accurate!) open backed cans as well which I enjoy.

Regards,

Randy

charmerci · « **Reply #29 on:** 13 Feb 2012, 06:39 pm »

JohnR,

Often, people are also in the room when people are listening. I often travel - plane flights, etc. and I don't take my Grados so my "neighbor" doesn't have to hear my music hours on end.

JohnR · « **Reply #30 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 01:17 am »

I don't use headphones in planes or trains and advise friends against it - the background noise level is high so it's very easy to have the playback level at damaging levels without realizing.

Noise-cancelling phones would be different I suppose, although I've never used them.

JohnR · « **Reply #31 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 01:24 am »

Quote from: rklein on 13 Feb 2012, 03:32 pm

I never stated that I prefer closed headphones. I was just responding to a question of why I have the ATH-50S's in the first place.

Fair enough

I had them because I was in a cubicle.

Here's Headroom's measurement comparing the ATH-M50 to the ATH-A900 that was mentioned above:

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #32 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 01:31 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 14 Feb 2012, 01:17 am

I don't use headphones in planes or trains and advise friends against it - the background noise level is high so it's very easy to have the playback level at damaging levels without realizing.

Noise-cancelling phones would be different I suppose, although I've never used them.

I don't think noise cancelling phones are as effective as Etymotic Research ER4S, which have 35 - 40dB of ambient noise rejection and sound good at the same time.
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er4.html
I use them and can play music quietly, because of this rejection figure. The problem with noise cancelling phones is they tend not to sound good! Ooops! As well, their effective ambient noise rejection is inferior to something like the Etymotics. I do think that reasonable compromise can be found in sealed-back headphones, though, and these can be more convenient and comfortable than having something deep in your ear canal - this wears thin after 3 hours or so.

mhconley · « **Reply #33 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 01:43 am »

Quote from: Russell Dawkins on 14 Feb 2012, 01:31 am

I don't think noise cancelling phones are as effective as Etymotic Research ER4S, which have 35 - 40dB of ambient noise rejection and sound good at the same time.
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er4.html
I use them and can play music quietly, because of this rejection figure. The problem with noise cancelling phones is they tend not to sound good! Ooops! As well, their effective ambient noise rejection is inferior to something like the Etymotics. I do think that reasonable compromise can be found in sealed-back headphones, though, and these can be more convenient and comfortable than having something deep in your ear canal - this wears thin after 3 hours or so.

That's why I use Shure e3 IEMs when I travel. They naturally block 35+dB of ambient noise. Half the time I am not even listening to anything. On United I am normally on channel 9. Reducing background noise helps reduce jet lag, too.

Martin

JohnR · « **Reply #34 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 01:46 am »

Good info about the IEMs. I have never used a pair because I assumed I would find them horribly uncomfortable. I also assume that you can't return them once they've been used

Jason seems to have abandoned this thread, though, in which he did ask for over-the-ear phones.

ajzepp · « **Reply #35 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 03:40 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 14 Feb 2012, 01:46 am

I also assume that you can't return them once they've been used

It seems that a lot of people do buy used IEMs, but I know I sure wouldn't want to be playing around with another man's potatoes.

guest1632 · « **Reply #36 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 05:24 am »

Quote from: Russell Dawkins on 14 Feb 2012, 01:31 am

I don't think noise cancelling phones are as effective as Etymotic Research ER4S, which have 35 - 40dB of ambient noise rejection and sound good at the same time.
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er4.html
I use them and can play music quietly, because of this rejection figure. The problem with noise cancelling phones is they tend not to sound good! Ooops! As well, their effective ambient noise rejection is inferior to something like the Etymotics. I do think that reasonable compromise can be found in sealed-back headphones, though, and these can be more convenient and comfortable than having something deep in your ear canal - this wears thin after 3 hours or so.

I was recently at Best Buy, looking at there crop of headphones. Surprisingly, the Boze agt $150 were comfortable, and didn't sound to bad at all. Now there noise cancelling phones I will tel you this, I put the suckers on, turned on the noise cancelling and I could not! hear the outside noise, which consisted of hearing music in the background, people talking, tbs blaring, ETC. I have noticed one thing about some of the noise cancelling phones. You turn on the cancelling and the audio freq response of the phones changes.

Ok, now to the question, what happened to some of the Koss stuff?

Ray Bronk

ajzepp · « **Reply #37 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 05:27 am »

Ray, just out of curiosity, did you ever decide on a preamp? You were about the most thorough person I've ever seen on the forum lol. I actually found my own ideal preamp by reading a lot of the responses to the threads you started, but was just curious if you ever found the right match for your needs?

I've heard the same thing about the Bose NC headphones...seems that many people love that quality about them, even if theyre not really "audiophile" cans.

zybar · « **Reply #38 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 10:05 am »

The Sennheiser HD 600's are just over your budget at $314 from Amazon, but are supposed to be nice.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Dynamic-Professional-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B00004SY4H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329213829&sr=8-1

George

zybar · « **Reply #39 on:** 14 Feb 2012, 10:13 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 14 Feb 2012, 01:46 am

Good info about the IEMs. I have never used a pair because I assumed I would find them horribly uncomfortable. I also assume that you can't return them once they've been used

Jason seems to have abandoned this thread, though, in which he did ask for over-the-ear phones.

John,

I have used a pair of Shure 530 SE's (IEM's) for a number of years now and love them! They not only sound great, but they do an excellent job of rejecting external noises. I can wear them comfortably for basically my entire flight to India without any fatigue or issue. As others have stated, I wear them even if I am not listening to music or watching a movie to reduce cabin noise.

George

Over the ear headphones $300 max

guest1632