I'm after a set of headphones and looking for any advice or recommendations. The main use will be for TV/Movies (so I can watch at night without waking Wife/Baby)
Usage
70% Movies
30% Music
Requirements
Wired
Full Size
Closed Back (though won't rule out Open Back)
Budget
Happy to pay £££ for a stunning set :)
Have used Sennhesier in the past and liked them but their range is enormous and somewhat confusing.
Not much experience with a wide range of headphones but I'd imagine you need something with good bass and a "wide soundstage" however that's measured ;) From the ones that have passed through my hands, the Sennheiser HD595 has stayed at the TV.
For movies, I'd strongly recommend an A/V Receiver that has Dolby Headphone tech inside for "virtual 5.1" in headphones.. I'm not a gimmick or DSP processing fan at all but Dolby Headphone really is nice.
I would recommend Sennheiser. Get a listen to some HD380 (£138) or HD25SP's(£129). Both closed back design and top quality.
Also consider the Goldring NS1000's closed back, noise cancelling ones at £150'ish
Rod
I use a pair of Goldring NS-1000 for exactly the same use as you Jon. They're very good imho even at full price but even better...
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electro ... oduct.html
Cheers,
Gary
Which? recently rated the Denon AH-D1001 (£100) number one of their Best Buys, with the Beyerdynamic DTX900 (about £50) being rated almost as good.
Haven't tried either myself, though...
I have a pair of Shure SRH440s ( http://www.shure.co.uk/products/headphones or http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/sho ... .3937.html ) and use them for music only. Haven't tried much else but reckon these are great :)
On top of the suggestions above, how about Grado's? I know they are excellent for listening to music but dont know how they would perform for listening to movies/tv? Could be worth checking out.
I've got similar requirements to you and am thinking of replacing my ageing ATs with something like the Sennheiser HD380s as Rod suggests.
I have a pair of open back Sennheiser HD555s that sound very nice but do leak a *lot* of sound to the extent her indoors complained she could hear them upstairs when I was listening to them downstairs :roll: :D
Flip side is even the better closed headphones do sound a bit, well, enclosed :D
Open back the sennheiser hd650's are the best! If you really want closed back the beyer dt770 is a good choice pm me I can sort you right out
''so I can watch at night without waking Wife/Baby''
The porn movies don't require you to hear what they are saying,i find i understand what is going on without headphones :wink:,and it don't wake the wife :!:
The Sennheiser headphones mentioned above are excellent (I have the 600s), the only issue is that they are open backed - which will mean that those around can hear some of what you are listening to. I'd look at the Grado range, for top range sound. If you are looking at something small then Shure or Ultimate Ears are both excellent (I have the UEs).
Thanks for the advice so far guys... have been doing so reading up tonight and the Beyerdynamic DT770's do sound very tempting indeed. Whilst no doubt a set of Sennheisers would be fine I'd like to try something a little bit different from the mainstream.
The Audio-Technica ATH-AD700's also seem to be quite well regarded though these are open back... to be honest I won't be sitting next to anyone so some sound leakage would be fine should an open back set be better for a mix of uses.
Hmmm.. I'm so bad at decision making when there is soooo much choice!
I'd forgotten about the DT770s - my headphones at work are DT770s. I like them, a lot, good sound, very comfy despite their size, good build quality and they don't leak or (allow in) much sound.
Only caveat I'd say is the bass might be a bit full on for some people.
Many years ago I owned a pair of Stax electrostatics, they were very expensive but in terms of sound quality they were good value for money.
This may offer some alternatives http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk/hfw/bgheadphones.html
Am still pondering (and waiting for the shops to open tomorrow!) but am swaying towards the DT770's still but have been offered a rather tempting deal on some Sennheiser HD25-1 II's...
Dug out an ancient pair of Sennheiser HD212Pro's over the weekend (used to use them for mixing) and still love the sound. Will use these as a reference point for something I deem 'better' and worth spending the cash on :)
Denons sound quite powerful and big, which should be good for watching movies. I have a pair of D5000 myself and I like them a LOT. I've owned more cans than I can count and these are my absolute favorite so far.
I've had three pairs of Grados (SR125, SR325i and RS2). They are very lively and engaging which makes them fun to listen to. They are however quite shrill in the higher frequencies which makes them tiresome after a while and they lack a deep bass. Their sound signature makes them the ultimate headphones for rock, but they are quite awful when it comes to Miles Davis or a Rachmaninoff concerto for example. Shouldn't be very suitable for movies because of their "lean" sound.
To me, the Denons are the perfect compromise between the fun Grados and the deep, smooth and airy sound of the Senn 650s. You get very, very deep, although not too prominent lows, without loosing the glimmering highs. Very allround headphones to put it short with a very big and wide soundstage for being closed cans.
Also, it might be a good idea to invest in a decent dedicated headphone amp. No full sized cans are able to really shine unless they have proper amplification.
My current setup:
Cans: Denon D5000
Amp: Stello HP100
DAC: Keces DA-131.1
Using my computer as source playing only lossless rips.
Originally Posted by Rod
Sennheiser have never let me down for build or audio quality on any of their products from basic portables to higher end closed cans for home. The HD 380's I have are fantastic - higlhy recommended.
I too love grado headphones but alas they are open backed and everyone else in your house will get to share your musical experiencethey will reveal every nuance and minute detail though 8)
An update... have had the Grado 125i's for a few days now and after approx. 24 hours of use they are sounding lovely :thumbup:
Also, for any one interested Play.com have the Sennheiser HD600's at a bargain £99.99 at the moment (these are £204 on Amazon and RPP @ £250): http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electro ... oduct.html
They will only get better Jon! Once they have been burned in (not long by the amount you've used them so far) they will sound fuller and rounder. I had some 125's and decided to upgrade to 250's. To be honest, they don't really give that much more than the 125's, particularly if you are of mature years and your hearing is'nt what it was. Enjoy bud, they are a cracking choice.
I find headphone choice to be very subjective and you really do need to let your ears make the final decision. I`ve had Sennheisers and Bayers over the years and been happy with both. I`ve usually spent around £70-£100 because I couldn`t hear much improvement with the expensive stuff. However, I`ve been using/abusing my ears for 52years so maybe I`m not the best judge :) .
Good luck
Paul
I would go for Sennheiser HD 25-1 II, i've had mine for around 2 years and are still going strong.
These are monitor style ones, so you get alot of detail and excellent bass response. Also being closed back they are great for noise suppression, excellent for on a aeroplane or indeed in the home!
Very good choice Jon as has been said they will get better!
Rod
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