Closed headphones

[MASantos]

Hello everyone,

Long time since I last posted, but I'm in need of a pair of closed headphones and what a better place to ask around and see how everyone is doing.

So I had a son last year and listening to the speaker rig or akg 701 at night with the wife sitting next to me is pretty much impossible. A pair of closed headphones must be bought to maintain the levels of sanity in between diaper changes.

Tyll highly recommends the nad viso and some other focal ones, but I remembered a couple of years ago the thunder pants were very well spoken of. Is smeggy still making these? Any other closed cans I should consider? I'd like to keep the budget below 500$.

Amp ATM is a first GB millett hybrid with discrete buffer, but am considering a ckk3 or maybe a torpedo.

Manuel

[Dusty Chalk]

The Focals are okay, not my cup of tea, but they're almost on-ear the way they fit on my head.

 

AKG make some very nice closed headphones -- the K550 is smooth and comfy, and the K271 Mk II is a studio standard.  I'm actually selling my K550's (too many headphones is all), if interested.

 

Smeggy is MIA, unfortunately.

 

Nothing isolates like the DT770's...except maybe the Leatherheads, which are out of your price range.

[Riotvan]

The K271 studio is nice except for the bass imo. But you can improve it if you change the pads for some beyer DT-770 ones, this will also improve the comfort allot. But still bass shy, i like the beyer DT-150 better, ugly as fuck but built like a tank and there are spare parts for everything. It does not have the beyer treble, very neutral to my ears and it shouldn't be too expensive either.

[HeadphoneAddict]

For isolation and sound quality I would seriously consider the Mr Speakers Alpha Dog 3D (whatever they call the 3D printed ones).  I was very impressed with them at RMAF for the price.  These may be slightly above your budget but they are true audiophile headphones.  I did not like the non-3D printed ones at all (lacked warmth and body).

 

At half that cost you could consider the V-MODA M-100 which has a similar warmth ,tone, and slight veil of the HD-650, but so far they're very enjoyable.  Isolation is pretty good.

 

The Sennheiser Momentum over the ear, on ear, HD25-1 II, or HD25 aluminum were all nice sounding, but I don't really like the flat soundstage on my HD25-1 II and they aren't as good as the V-MODA. The momentum over-ear were a little more v-shaped frequency response than the on-ear.  Isolation of the momentum [edit - on-ear] is slightly below the HD25 but I liked their sound more.

Edited February 23, 2014 by HeadphoneAddict

[blessingx]

Congrats on your son! I had a hard time finding energy and time for real critical music listening one year in so practical concerns (headphone construction when falling asleep on, allowing right amount of baby warning sounds in, etc.) outranked SQ. In my case HD25-1 IIs and KSC35s were used (though soft music in speakers more). Just wanted to remind about the probably obvious practical stuff.

[grawk]

Jh13s

[MASantos]

Jh13s

I actually gave getting a pair of customs a serious thought, but I can't justify the investment atm.

[robm321]

ER4S perhaps?

[MASantos]

I have pair of shure e4c, which I quite like and would only change for a pair of customs, but iems for extended home listening are not what I'm looking for.

[grawk]

factor in that they sound great out of almost any headphone jack, so no amp investment necessary.

[complin]

I see he has started selling "training kits" now to tame supposed treble issues with the Alpah Dods?  

 

For isolation and sound quality I would seriously consider the Mr Speakers Alpha Dog 3D (whatever they call the 3D printed ones).  I was very impressed with them at RMAF for the price.  These may be slightly above your budget but they are true audiophile headphones.  I did not like the non-3D printed ones at all (lacked warmth and body).

 

There are a pair of Thunderpants for sale at the other place

 

Smeggy is MIA, unfortunately.

 

 

 

LFF is introducing something call the Enigma which is a closed headphone but no pricing yet. Some are talking about custom drivers but could be a bastardised Hifiman?

[RudeWolf]

I think a used Paradox fits the bill here.

[grawk]

I see he has started selling "training kits" now to tame supposed treble issues with the Alpah Dods?  

 

 

There are a pair of Thunderpants for sale at the other place

 

 

LFF is introducing something call the Enigma which is a closed headphone but no pricing yet. Some are talking about custom drivers but could be a bastardised Hifiman?

Yes, but there's nothing about Luis's background that would suggest that he could design a better closed headphone than the current manufacturers.  He's a nice guy, but he's not an engineer.

[dreamwhisper]

The thunderpants are basshead cans, or at least my pair was anyways.
You can just get away with more bass from an ortho because it leaves the other frequencies alone.

A of lot people were interested in the SHR840 a while ago.
I've been reading up on it and will likely get one over the SHR940 or w/e.
But one of these Shure are on my radar.

Since you like AKG 701, and I'm assuming you already have an amp, have you considered a pair if K340's?
They're coloured as shit but I really miss my pair, they do things that other headphones can't.
I will never hear tenor saxophone that good ever again. That's something I gotta deal with.

Edited May 24, 2014 by dreamwhisper

[grawk]

almost 4 months old.

[complin]

Presume yours must have been an early pair?

I wouldn't call my pair basshead cans, quite the contrary, well balanced really throughout the frequency range.

I very much prefer them to the Audeze LCD2, especially with Stax pads as the Audeze is quite rolled off at the top end, so you miss quite a lot of plankton, quite closed in too.

The headstage especially with the more angled pads is superior and it doesn't really sound much like a sealed headphone.

I'd like to know what happened to Smeggy as its a great pity he's not producing these anymore.  

 

The thunderpants are basshead cans, or at least my pair was anyways.

 

Well if you love the sax, like I do too, then you really need a pair of Stats, nothing better for Jazz and exposing the texture and harmonics. Even the basic Lambda IMO is better than most dynamics out there.  

 

Since you like AKG 701, and I'm assuming you already have an amp, have you considered a pair if K340's? They're coloured as shit but I really miss my pair, they do things that other headphones can't. I will never hear tenor saxophone that good ever again. That's something I gotta deal with.

Edited May 27, 2014 by complin

[Sherwood]

the Audeze is quite rolled off at the top end, so you miss quite a lot of plankton

 

Well, consider that a blessing.

[grawk]

think about the whales man, think about the whales.

[jvlgato]

... and the resulting reduction of available muktuk ...

[complin]

Thought that was more due to the Japanese and their love of whale meat   

 

... and the resulting reduction of available muktuk ...

[grawk]

that and all the annoying pirates eating plankton

[Voltron]

 

Eat me!  Argghhh!

[blessingx]

Resurrecting the thread. Gave up a shared office today (with a rather bitter, chatty guy who's fun, but impossible to get work done around) and moving to a cube for the first time in a while. Thus my HD580s are no longer going to cut it. Will use IEMs occasionally, but need something I can put on/pull off often. HD25-1 IIs are fine, but would love for something better. Anything new to consider (besides earlier mentioned in thread)? Out of the loop in the closed world.

[guzziguy]

I used PK-2 earbuds in this situation.  They did a pretty good job of supplying music, masking exterior noise and not irritating neighbors while being really easy to take in and out.

[n_maher]

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/legend-continues-audio-technica-ath-m50x

 

or double down...

 

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/striking-master-dynamic-mh40-sealed-around-ear-headphone