Feed my headphone addiction!

[dan13l]

I'd appreciate a recommendation please

I've bought quite a few sets of heaphones over the last couple of years, trying to find the perfect set for home, work, and on the move.

I'd settled on Grado SR-60's for home (gaming, dvd, music), Sennheiser mx550's for on the move, and a set of Philips noise cancelling 'phones for work.

I've decided I'm sick of the Philips. They don't sound terribly hot, and I'm sick of keep forgetting to turn off the noise cancelling and running my batteries down.

I need a set of closed, sound isolating headphones that sound good but aren't going to destroy my wallet (up to about £60 I reckon, slightly more if I have to). At work they're mostly driven by my iPod, so I need something that isn't too hungry.

Any recommendations would be really appreciated

[Reano]

Have you used the search?

Sennheiser cx300 or slightly more than you budget see if you can get the shure e3c from eBay.
Psst I know you didnt ask this but change the Grado 60 for the 80 version (maybe a £10 - £15 difference on eBay). Change the MX550 and get the sony 21's for £12 from Amazon

See I am feeding your addiction .... Now do it, do it now.....

[dan13l]

Oooh, you swine

I thought I had searched, but obviously hadn't searched here. Sorry 'bout that.

Are the CX300's canalphones? I know the Shures are. I've tried a couple of pairs of canalphones in the past and don't get on with them (they just don't sit in my ears properly).

The Sony 21's aren't though are they? They look like some sort of hybrid earphone canalphone thing...interesting. I'll probably try those

I've been trying to resist the urge to upgrade the Grados to the 80s. Must...resist...must...

[pbirkett]

*IF* you can find the Beyer DT250 at your budget, it would make a very good closed phone for the money. There are 2 version - 80 ohm and 250 ohm. The former is easier to drive, the latter sounds better (if driven well enough).

[extremelydodgy]

I would say wait until you have double that budget, then go and buy a pair of Sennheiser HD25. Anything else I've had for around that price has been a bit half-arsed as a truly portable set of closed headphones. I use them as part of the quintet of my regular phones as they're very isolating, very practical for portable use, tractable and sound fairly good. I can chuck them into a backpack, wear them around my neck when not in use, etc. Sizewise they're not very different from the Grados so you can probably gauge how portable they're going to be.


A fact of having closed phones is that except in exceptional circumstances, the sound quality reduces when compared to equivalent open phones. The HD25 has quality barely over the SR80, but still it's not bad value if you consider the significant extra practicality for portable use that a tightly isolated and rather efficient phone gives you.


The DT250 can be had for about £70-80 but it sounds rather noncommital, is a bit large and even the 80 isn't actually that efficient, making it sound even more noncommital from a portable. It also doesn't isolate. It's saving graces are the excellent comfort and the indestructible build. The other popular DJ phones generally deliver thumping bloated bass up to scratchy or subdued trebles. The HD25-SP is also quite popular, but it's terminated in a 6.5mm plug, making it unwieldy. Shadowritten's done an excellent quality write-up of the new K81 but with all due apologies if it causes offence, I'm inclined to take his opinions with a large pinch of salt at this stage given his previous reviews / opinions.

Originally Posted by extremelydodgy

Shadowritten's done an excellent quality write-up of the new K81 but with all due apologies if it causes offence, I'm inclined to take his opinions with a large pinch of salt at this stage given his previous reviews / opinions.

No offence taken, sir.

You're right that I have made some rather over-zealous comments regarding phones of varying degrees of crappiness in the past. And as you're one of those on here who is highly regarded where the question of cans is concerned, it may well be wise for others to defer to your superior understanding and experience. I can only comment based on limited expertise (if it can even be called such!), so if people take a chance on my opinions and find that I'm right - or wrong, for that matter - then this is, of course, entirely down to them.

Many thanks, incidently, for your kind comments re: my review. Much appreciated.

[pbirkett]

Must admit, I'd be inclined to agree with extremelydodgy, I would wait, because cheap closed phones are invaraibly rather poor IMO.

[Reano]

Do you prefer in ear or over ear headphones for isolated listening? Also as mentioned before go for the 80's over the 60's (for home use) if you can sell the 60's. As the price difference is worth it (I think about £10 on eBay). hehe ... The RS1's are coming down too, coming into the senn HD650 (new) terrirtory at c£300 (eBay of course) don't fight it, resistance is futile

[extremelydodgy]

Moving up in the Grado range doesn't mean you're getting any more isolation.


If a new RS1 was £350, I'd recommend it mainly for the looks and materials. Otherwise it's got to be the least 'high-end' of the 'high-end' phones I've bought. Even the <£200 DT880 does a better job, sonically and ergonomically, when amped with commensurate-class equipment.

[pbirkett]

Aye, anyone who pays the asking price in this country for RS1's needs their head examining.

Poor build quality, even poorer comfort, and sound which frankly isnt any better than anything else you can get for less than 1/3 or even 1/4 of the price.

Grado's do have a fairly "unique" sound though and I can see why some like it, but at the end of the day, some of the lower models are pretty much good enough to deliver the kind of heavy handed sound i feel they have.

Each to their own, of course. However, I struggle to see how anyone can justify £700 for the RS1 when of course, in the good old US, they are half the price!

[Reano]

Extremely dodgy this is for his home use I have already given him some pointers for isolation.

P What did you use (equipment you mentioned) to beat the RS1 with 880's as I have recorded music and listened to it through the 990 and Senn HD650 and Grado's are a lot better and accurate all round?

Also as far as price is concerned every one pays for something what they think it's worth I paid £350. Some people spend a lot more on a one week holiday, speakers, etc I spend where it earns me a lot more than I paid. Comfort is great can have on for somethimes 6 hours. Also part of my living comes from sound/film recording so I will always get as close to the best as possible. <--- Of course this is not for everyone if you are a hiker you may buy a lot more expensive gloves than I would, etc. Having listened to most of the Senn, Beyer etc range I am genuinely interested to see what costs c£115 and is as good or better than the Grado RS1 or even £80 1/4 price. Really? I brought the HD650 and upgrade cable which cost me more than the RS1 but they do not compare

[kennydies]

I bought a pair of Etymotic Earphones, the best i have ever bought. They are great for the train and plane...

http://www.pjbox.co.uk/etymoticindex.htm

[pbirkett]

At the end of the day Reano, if you like what Grados do then theres nothing really that can replace them, at any price. However, some people do prefer other much cheaper cans, and that is a fact.

As always, swings and roundabouts

[dan13l]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm seriously tempted to put my Grado 60s on ebay and upgrade to some 80s. I wasn't until I posted this, but now I am

I'm still not sure what to try for work and portability though. I'm sure I read shadowritten's review of the another set of the AKG headphones (not the 81s though) but I can't find the thread now. I was half tempted by them as a cheap pair (I don't want to spend a fortune on 'phones for work, as they'll inevitably get nicked, broken, or otherwise rendered useless) but I can't find anyway that will ship them for anything like a reasonable price (the one place I found wanted a tenner to ship them).

[Reano]

Originally Posted by pbirkett

At the end of the day Reano, if you like what Grados do then theres nothing really that can replace them, at any price. However, some people do prefer other much cheaper cans, and that is a fact.

As always, swings and roundabouts

Hi pb I'm not having a go I'm genuinely interested to see/hear other cans. I don't know any cans for the prices I quote that beat the RS1'a thats all. A bit like my challenge to beat the sony 21's Ive now orderd some audio technica as someone says he thinks they are really good so I'm going to see. We are all hear to learn (well I am anyway).