Open or Closed back headphones??

[trippy]

Hi all,

I want to invest in a decent pair of headphones for listening to music too (new baby present so need to listen quietly at times!!).

However, whats the "real" difference between closed back and open back headphones, and which ones ideally should I go for?

Also, any recommendations under the £200 mark for headphones appreciated. Had sennheiser in the past and been very pleased with them.

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[markw]

If you want to isolate yourself from the surroundings and block out as much outside noise as possible, go for closed back phones.

If you want to hear outside noises with your music, then go for an open back style.

As to which you should go for, you might as well ask me if you should prefer blonds, brunettes or redheads. But, given your new baby I'd say that an open back design would allow you to keep an ear on her, as long as the volume isn't too high.

 

[j_garcia]

I prefer closed, but as long as they sound OK, it doesn't matter to me if they are open. At work I use smaller open ones so I can still hear when people are talking to me.

 

[BluesDaddy]

Open headphones are generally considered to have better fidelity. You don't have the problem of backwaves being reflected back into the ear and they have more of a, well, open quality. I have fairly decent quality phones of both types (Senn HD-25-1 closed, AKG 501 open) and I will say I like them both, but the AKG has an airiness about it that is just a pleasure to listen to. However, when I need isolation and don't want to disturb others I use the Senns, which do have a much punchier low end.

 

[jaxvon]

I wouldn't say that one type has better fidelity than the other. My Sony MDR-7506 headphone is closed back and definitely a higher fidelity device than the Sennheiser HD595.

As far as which to go for, consider these attributes:

-Open back headphones not only let noise into your ears (like your baby crying), they also let your music out. So if you're rocking out in a quiet room, everyone else will be forced to rock out as well. It's not *that* loud, but it is audible.

-The open headphones from Sennheiser are extremely comfy and have a frequency response that, while not the highest fidelity, is quite pleasing to listen to.

-Closed headphones, especially the better ones, isolate you from outside noise and isolate the outside from your music.

Some closed headphones that are semi-circumaural (like my Sonys) can get uncomfortable after a period of time due to the pressure on the ears.

Some other important points to think about:

-Some headphones like the upper end of the Sennheiser line are high-impedance headphones that are not suitable for use with portable music players.

-As far as build quality goes, I have seen no equal to the MDR-7506, MDR-V6, or CD900ST. These are all Sony models.

You will have to weight the benefits of each headphone that you audition. Sennheiser headphones are extremely comfortable, but not the most durable or accurate. The Sony MDR-7506 or V-6 are highly accurate and durable, but not the most comfortable for long periods of time.

Some other headphones I've heard good things about (not heard personally):

Beyerdynamic DT-880
Sennheiser HD-280 (for a lower budget)

 

[Steve1000]

I've got 3 kids, aged 1 to 5. I know of what you speak.

So 200 pounds is a about 370 dollars? (Just googled it.)

For that money I'd get a pair of Sony V6/7506s (closed), some Beyer DT250 pads (about $20) for the V6/7506s to make them more comfy and improve the isolation a little, and some Senn HD595s, and pocket a little change.

I lean toward the Senn HD595s for you because they measure well, are easy to drive, and you seem to think you'll like the Senn sound. To my mind they are an improvement in accuracy over the HD580/HD600/HD650 line. You can compare headphone measuremets at headphone.com, but don't drink the amp-and-cable kool-aid when you visit their web site.

The Sony V6/7506 is just an all-time classic indestructible pro-audio closed headphone.

The Senn HD280 is a quite nice pro-audio closed phone but the comfort is not up to par for me.

The AKG501 is quite nice but kind of hard to drive and a little shy of neutral in the bass department.

The DT880 is highly accurate, I think, but a little on the bright side and can be hard to drive. If you like the Senn sound, it may not be for you.

Good luck!

Hi all,

I want to invest in a decent pair of headphones for listening to music too (new baby present so need to listen quietly at times!!).

However, whats the "real" difference between closed back and open back headphones, and which ones ideally should I go for?

Also, any recommendations under the £200 mark for headphones appreciated. Had sennheiser in the past and been very pleased with them.

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[Nick250]

This just points to you have to listen for yourself. I had Senns HD580s and HD595s in my home and I felt the 580s were a much better sounding headphone and returned the 595s. You may find just the opposite. One thing to note is that the 595s are much easier to drive and I suspect they will work with most portable listening devices. The 580s sound terrible on portables.

Nick

 

[Sleestack]

Go here and read their descriptions and frequency response measurements:
http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/all-headphones/

Some people around here think they are snake-oil vendors b/c they sell expensive cables and balanced headphone amplifiers, nevertheless, they know their headphones and have very useful information.

I will agree with one of prior posts in saying that more audiophile headphones are open-back. Of course, when comparing 2 specific headphones, many more factors come into play, but I have yet to hear truly great set of closed cans.

 

[johndoe]

can you get Grados in the UK? they're probably not the most accurate headphones, but I've never felt fatigued. At your budget, I'd get both an open and a closed set.

 

[BluesDaddy]

You might also want to check out Head-Fi, which is a site devoted totally to headphones.

 

[Sleestack]

You might also want to check out Head-Fi, which is a site devoted totally to headphones.

I frequent that board. You can great info there, but also a ton of crazy opinions that seem to stem from pride of ownership and belief in some pretty dubious aspects of audiophila. Nevertheless, a great board with contributions from all angles.

 

[jaxvon]

Also,

If you haven't considered earbuds, they may be a good investment. Now, they're not comfy for all people, so you may wish to find a pair to try before you buy. However, the nice offerings from Shure and Etymotic are within your price range and offer good to great sound, tremendous isolation, and have low sound leakage into your environment. Although, from a comfort perspective, I still prefer normal headphones.