ATH-ANC7b broken/ear cups falling apart, need a new set recommendation

[jp_over]

Friends,

My faithful ATH-ANC7b ‏headphones have started to come apart (about 1.5 years of using them several time a week) and I'm looking to replace them. As such, I'd like your advice. Over the past several years, I've had a few sets wear out or break with routine/none aggressive use. Here's the criteria if anyone would like to make a suggestion or two:

1) durable / reliable for routine use
2) comfortable for long listening
3) closed back
4) good-excellent sound quality and some noise isolation
5) detachable cord or cord that's less than 4 feet (for easy use with the laptop)
6) no amplifier needed / able to be powered adequately from laptop

A couple of contenders I've found are:

ATH-M50X (I also have an old set of M50s but they're not terribly comfortable.)
Sennheiser Momentum
Sure SRH840 - (I've read these break easily.)

Thanks!

 

[jp_over]

OK, for now I've been making due with my RBH EP1s - but I'd still like to have a pair of full sized earphones. So, I plan on one (or more) of three options:

1) Modifying the cord on my M50s to 1.5 meters or so
2) Getting a repair kit for my ATH-ANC7b headphones and reserving them for travel (daily use seems to much for them)
3) German Maestro GMP 8.35 D Monitor (mobile)

 

[tyhjaarpa]

With your requirements I would look for either Beyerdynamic DT770 25 Ohm or Denon AH-D600. DT770 being better out of these imo. Would be best if you could go and try them locally and decide yourself.

 

[jp_over]

Excellent recommendations; thanks! The Beyerdynamic DT770 looks promising. From a while back, the DT880 was on my list but these days I'm only looking for a closed back system.

Right now, I'm really torn between getting a nice soldering kit ($110) or just getting some new headphones. Certainly, each has it's merits and drawbacks!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000R2PC2M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1944687782&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002HWJT1A&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=17EH1HJ94DTT7DDKK0TH

 

[jp_over]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000R2PC2M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1944687782&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002HWJT1A&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=17EH1HJ94DTT7DDKK0TH

Those have been on my wish list for quite some time (wasn't the price close to $350 a while back?). In fact, now that they're $250 I'll have to give them another look.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Oh, almost forgot and my favorite underdog - Fostex T50RP - I own them - bought few years ago for $75 on sale. They were upgrade from even older Fostex T20RP which are now sporting shure earcups (original ones perished)
Here's review:
http://www.headfonia.com/the-fostex-orthodynamics-t50rp-and-t40rp-mk2/

 

[Armandhammer]

Are you opposed to IEM's? If not...there's a lot of options. Of of my personal favs are the Etymotic ER4's which I'm listening too right now actually. Sound is phenomenal, comfort is great...sometimes I forget they are in my ears, headstage is amazing, and they work well straight off an MP3 player or phone at though they do even better amped. I often use my little Altoid Cmoy with them as I am right now. Sound is just...awesome.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I had Etymotic and now have Shure SE425 - While the sound is really good, I find my ear start hurt after about an hour.
In short - I would not go with IEM for long term listening, but IEM are awesome for commute !!!

 

[GranteedEV]

1) durable / reliable for routine use
2) comfortable for long listening
3) closed back
4) good-excellent sound quality and some noise isolation
5) detachable cord or cord that's less than 4 feet (for easy use with the laptop)
6) no amplifier needed / able to be powered adequately from laptop

Basically, you need to get the same headphones I use, the German Maestro GMP 8.35d . Those are pretty much the exact same criteria I was putting together when I picked these up in 2013, and they've been the best closed headphones I've ever had. A huge upgrade over the ATH-M50s I was using prior to them.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Never was fan of ATH-M50.
btw: Isn't German Maestro is another brand to MB Quart?

 

[jp_over]

Are you opposed to IEM's? If not...there's a lot of options. Of of my personal favs are the Etymotic ER4's which I'm listening too right now actually. Sound is phenomenal, comfort is great...sometimes I forget they are in my ears, headstage is amazing, and they work well straight off an MP3 player or phone at though they do even better amped. I often use my little Altoid Cmoy with them as I am right now. Sound is just...awesome.

I have a set of RBH EP1s (IEM) which are excellent but I can't enjoy them for long periods of time. I will admit the Comply foam tips made a great deal of difference in comfort - but I still can't enjoy them for more than an hour. I do still use them for traveling.

 

[jp_over]

Here's what I ended up doing:

1) Ordered a pair of GMP 8.35 D Monitor (mobile) with a right angle plug direct from the factory ($220.00 shipped)
2) Purchased a nice soldering rig (Hakko FX888D) and modified my ATH-M50s to have a removable plug - now I can use a super light cord with them rather than the monstrous 9' factory one. I'll likely transition these to a back-up set.
3) Ordered a pair of replacement ear cups for my ATH-ANC7b ‏since they're my only noise canceling pair

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Congrats on new purchases !

 

[Armandhammer]

Congrats. I'm kinda looking for a new set of headphones myself. I have two pairs for sale, one that actually may have worked well for you but I only decided to try to sell them today. The others not so much since they are open. Not sure what I'm looking for...still going through all the options.

 

[GranteedEV]

.

Never was fan of ATH-M50.
btw: Isn't German Maestro is another brand to MB Quart?

The old MB Quart was composed of the same engineers and other professionals currently running GM, but GM has nothing to do with the brand currently sold as MB Quart.

Here's what I ended up doing:

1) Ordered a pair of GMP 8.35 D Monitor (mobile) with a right angle plug direct from the factory ($220.00 shipped)
2) Purchased a nice soldering rig (Hakko FX888D) and modified my ATH-M50s to have a removable plug - now I can use a super light cord with them rather than the monstrous 9' factory one. I'll likely transition these to a back-up set.
3) Ordered a pair of replacement ear cups for my ATH-ANC7b ‏since they're my only noise canceling pair

Congrats on the purchase. I did find that for my head, the GMP 8.35Ds as they came had a bit too much clamping pressure. What I did was stretch them out into virtually a straight line, and hold for 20-30 seconds to micro-fracture away some of the elasticity, and now they are just perfect. Do post your thoughts on them!