Closed Headphone Battle Royal (Need opinions)

[pLuhhmm]

Here are four headphones that I have found to be in my price range and have very good reviews here and else where. Which is the best and which is the best performance/price ratio.

I will be using these as my main headphones. I use my headphones for gaming on my xbox 360 (FPSs) and my PC (FPSs). I also listen to music, including rap, classic/rock, and classical.

Ultrasone HFI-450 - $88
Sony MDR-XB700 50mm - $78
Shure SRH 440 - $95
Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 - $90
Other? - < $100

Source: Amazon.com
Country: USA

Might go eBay, if its worth it.
List if you can find these "new" and cheaper else where.

 

[MinusTheBear]

The Shure SRH440 is a special headphone. Outstanding build quility, comfort and sound quality for under/around $100. They are easy to power out of a portable MP3 player, receiver, computer etc. Perfect for your use. They are awesome cans and I usually don't like closed headphones. I might pick up the 840's as well in the future .

 

[MinusTheBear]

I just seen your thread over at Head-fi. I also have the MS1. Just so you know those are open headphones and they leak sound/don't isolate. They are at about the same pricepoint. The build quality on the MS1 is a very simple/basic however when it comes to overall sound quality they are my favorite headphone in this price range. I also have preferences to an open style headphone, just seems more natural to listen too. The shure 440 will be better for FPS gaming however because they do have a better soundstage in my opinion and you might like the isolation with a closed headphone for gaming as well. For music listening I would choose the MS1 . Comfort is different as well because the MS1 is on ear and the Shure is closed back circumaural.

 

[pLuhhmm]

Yeah ^_^.

I really like noise isolation personally, but later on once I get more money or want new headphones, Ill probably try open headphones.

I wish it could have been the Sonys tho Figures its the $95 headphones

Can you bump that head-fi thread I cant get any opinions -.-

 

[MinusTheBear]

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=1193&graphID[]=903&graphID[]=1513&graphID[]=183

I don't like what I see with the xb700. The frequency response is really elevated in the bass and midbass regions. If you want over exaggerated bass/boominess than you might like these. They would be my last choice according to this graph.

Edit: I am not a member at Head-fi.

 

[pLuhhmm]

Where is the bass and mid bass located? If you dont mind could you highlight it or something in paint ^_^

THX

 

[MinusTheBear]

Look at the graph between 0 and 100hz.

 

[pLuhhmm]

What does it mean right after the 10k mark? They all drop off a lot. Also, what does it mean that the Shures 440 is at like -30/10hz? I assume its bass since the Sonys are the highest, but Im still confused @_@

 

[zhimbo]

What does it mean right after the 10k mark? They all drop off a lot. Also, what does it mean that the Shures 440 is at like -30/10hz? I assume its bass since the Sonys are the highest, but Im still confused @_@

HeadRoom has some good information on their frequency graphs here:
http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/about-headphone-measurements.php

Nearly all headphones drop off in the high frequencies, and nearly all have a modest bass hump. Some headphones, on the other hand, have a more extreme bass hump...I love comparing the top-of-the-line Sennheiser with "Skullcandy Snoop Dogg Skullcrushers":

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=1263&graphID[]=863

 

[pLuhhmm]

I have a conundrum

I like the Shure 440s because of the detachable cable and design. But after using my friends Audio-Technica ATH A700s, I want more bass than they have and according to the this graph, theres not much difference in the two.

I just really love that detachable cable feature ):. The Sony V6s look like what I want, but their kind of ugly and no DC(detachable cable) . I also like the looks of the AKG K81 DJs, but they dont look comfortable and no DC .

 

[pLuhhmm]

Con't.. So I can post picture.

I am actually now looking at the Audio-Technica ATH-M50s on ebay and the seem to be sub $100. I just dont know if they have DC, which I guess I will sacrifice , since sound wise, theyre probably what I want. I just dont want them to end up like my HD201s (Almost a year old, but used them a lot) that Im using right now and have a cable problem where I have to move it around to get sound to come out both sides

 

[MinusTheBear]

The Audio Technica M50 is what you should be looking for then, it sort of bridges the gap. I think they would give you overall better sound quality over the xb700 and still provide you a low end that you will find pleasing over the 440 and other models.

 

[djreef]

My experience with the Sony MDR-V6 was not a good one. They sounded very abrasive, almost brittle. And the damn things fell apart after about 2 years - ear pads rotted. I actually got a replacement pair after they did this the first time, and the second pair did the same.

DJ

 

[KASR]

SENNHEISER HD212 Semi-Circumaural Closed Headphones - they won't disappoint!

http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones-headsets/sennheiser-hd212-pro/4505-6468_7-30469535.html