Looking For Good Headphones

kiste · November 30, 2003, 4:23pm

I’m looking forward to replacing my old Technics HT-400 headphones with something better. In search for closed-ear studio monitor headphones that cost around US$100 (yes, my budget is limited), I came across AKG Acoustics K-240 M (the specs can be found here) which seems to have the best price/performance ratio. However, before I order those I’d like to hear your recommendations. If you have anything better to suggest, or something to say about K-240M, speak out. Thanks!

Pysj · December 1, 2003, 7:35am

In general Sennheiser has the best of the best. Try to compare a model around your budget.
But I’m sure the AKGs will do the job aswell.

looza · December 1, 2003, 8:06am

sennheiser under 150€ (or $) are crap.

I personally got some Sony MDR-CD480, and they are great. (and were about 60$).
My advice is to take a few CDs you know, go to some store and ask them if you could check their headphones with your CDs. listen to your Music with their headphones and pick the best. I did this when I needed some, and I ended with those Sony I have now, because the Technics and Sennheisers they had for 100$ or more did sound much worse than those Sonys I have now.
Also, specifications might sound good on paper, but how the Headphones really sound is not guaranteed by some fancy specs.

Kyriacos · December 1, 2003, 8:30am

I have a Sennheiser Headphone and it sounds good to me

I bought it for almost 60 pounds ($120)

Rick_Hoekman · December 1, 2003, 11:24am

Beyer DT 100 - They look awfull but are really good…

keith303 · December 1, 2003, 5:03pm

i recommend getting the Beyerdynamic DT-880, which i bought myself after a long-term research and comparisons between Grado, Sennheiser, AKG and Sony cans.
i’m highly satisfied with the DT880’s and i hope they’ll last for the next few decades, since i’m really not planning on exchanging with anything else notime soon.

below i quoted a few tiny reviews on the DT880s from verious head-fi sites and user forums.

Impressions on the DT880
Dear Headfellows,

Finally the opportunity was found to write down my impressions on the DT880. Please be aware that this reportis not intended to be a full review. I simply didn’t have the time to listen very much lately (X-mas period hasbeen “killing”). Please also be aware that impressions and reviews are a very personal thing. My taste might differ considerably from yours, so do not be offended when I compare the DT880 to your favourite headphone and “crush” this beloved toy to the bottom.

Upon receiving the phone, the first appearance was an impressive one. Each DT880 comes in an anodized aluminium box which looks and feels very cool. I guess you have to be very carefull for scratches and dents, as the plate-work isn’t very thick, but it certainly has style.

Open the box and you find the phone, embedded in a cushion of foam. The phone has classic looks with some elements of modern design (anodized aluminium), nice thick paddings (although smaller than those of the DT831/DT931) and a headband with a leather cover that can be removed.

The cable is relatively thick, one-sided and of the well-known spiral type. Some like it, others don’t. I tend to believe that the Beyer cables are sonically superior to the thin ones that are used by e.g. Sennheiser, but a straight wire will be preferred by many. The spiral cable tends to exert some tension if stretched to longer lengths. It might be for this reason that Beyerdynamic added an extra extension cable to the box! This cable is a straight one and seems to be of very decent quality. I didn’t test it though. My only complaint is that the contacts of the extension cable are not gold-plated. Gold doesn’t sound better, but it surely prevents cracks and plops due to poor contact (oxidation).

The phone got 72 hours of decent break-in before I started serious listening. The first thing that you notice is the bass. This one goes deep, very very deep indeed, without losing texture or getting slobby. The second thing you notice is that the upper frequencies are rather recessed. This phone clearly belongs to the same line of phones as the DT770 and DT990. Tonally the differences to the DT831/DT931 are very large.

Next I got myself a DT770, DT990, DT931 (modified, driven at 120 Ohm) and HD600 (modified) to do some
comparative listenings.

DT880 versus DT770
(Warning, people who love their DT770 should NOT read this section).
I have to admit that I never have been able to get on good terms with the DT770. In my opinion this phone has a bloated bass that is very colored and shows very little refinement. The mids are recessed and the acoustic soundstage produced gives me claustrofobic feelings. No surprise that the DT880 is much better. Its bass goes deep without being bloated, shows texture and is well defined. Soundstage is also superior by three classes.

DT880 versus DT990
The DT990 is a clear family of the DT770 but bass is not as strong and better defined. Soundstage is also more open (not so surprisingly, as the DT770 is a closed headphone and the DT990 is of the open type). The first model DT990 was released about 15 years ago, and although a new driver was spend last year, one feels its age. This phone remembers me of a period when loudspeakers tend to be on the gloomy/sandy/dark side. It’s a very nice sound if you like a relaxed and warm presentation of music. I once had a DT990 and loved it, but technology since then made a few steps forward and general taste also changed towards a more analytical sound. Although the DT880 and the DT990 are somewhat similarly balanced, the DT880 clearly showed is superiority. Bass was better defined and sonic details are more easily presented, even although the highs are slightly more recessed

DT880 versus DT931
The DT931 has long been my personal favourite. It’s fast, uncolored, and presents you all the details of the musical performance. It’s slightly on the bright side but this has the advantage that details are not lost when you listen at lower volumes. I don’t like to cranck up sound as I do like to care for my ears. The DT880 is completely different from the DT931. The upper frequencies are recessed and bass is more overwhelming. It made me turn up volume to a level that I normally don’t like, just to hear more details.

DT880 versus HD600
For many the HD600 is a golden standard. This phone has a silky midrange and the upper frequencies, although a little bit subdued, are also of high quality. Nonetheless, in my opinion this phone has one flaw; its bass. The upper bass is a little bit bloated and the deepest bass is too weak. Bass is also somewhat on the slow side. With the HD600 the lower frequencies and the upper/midrange are sonically always a little bit separated. Not so with the DT880. This phone has a seamless transition from the mid frequencies to the deepest bass that makes this phone very easy to listen to. The HD600 is superior though in presenting the fine details of the performance.

Conclusions:
The DT880 is a very fine headphone, ideal for those who like high sound volumes and deep bass. For slightly more refinement the HD600 seems a better choice. A relaxed presentation while still offering many musical details.
For a very dynamic presentation that shows you everything that’s on the recording or for listening at lower sound volumes the DT931 still stays my first choice.

Cheers,

Jan

I’ll keep it simple… straight off the HeadRoom website:

Beyer DT880: 5 Stars. A new headphone rivals the Sennheiser 600 for top-dog.

Beyerdynamic has just released their new DT 880 to challenge Sennheiser for the top spot and, by golly, they’ve done a darned good job. The 880 are clean and clear, with extended highs and lows, and good behavior in between. Although the HD 600 might image a bit better and seem a little more coherent, the beyers are a bit more intimate and less laid-back. If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line can these days, these just may be the cans for you.
The 880 comes packages in a nice aluminum box. It has a single sided coiled cable (left side) for ease of use. The ear pads are soft velour and the headband is nicely padded and both are easily replaced.

Isolation: 3
Comfort: 5

Team Sennheiser’s days are numbered

twilek · December 2, 2003, 8:18am

I bought my AKG K240 over 10 years ago (!!!) and they are still going strong. AKG is known for their quality, even if their headphones look like something from the 19th century… but who cares, better with nice quality rather than just a nice look

Alexander_M_Korn · December 2, 2003, 5:59pm

if you need great LINEAR headphones and a closed system with a high dynamic range … for a good price …
AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-M40fs thomann - audio technica

(expensive hphones like beyerdynamic DT880 are hifi headphones … good for listening cd’s not so good for making music/editing/mastering coz most hifi-headphones misrepresent the sound really)

Alexander_M_Korn · December 2, 2003, 6:11pm

akg 240 are not so pleasant to wear > my experience … ( big pressure on the ears - not because of the sound )

but great headphones too … good linear sound … but not closed (>not so good for vocal-recordings)

basil · December 2, 2003, 9:47pm

try sennheiser HD series
good to me

twilek · December 3, 2003, 4:58pm

??? what do you mean with big pressure on the ears??? It might be your experience, not mine. I think they are very pleasant to wear > my experience

Alexander_M_Korn · December 3, 2003, 11:26pm

maybe my head is too big

mute · December 4, 2003, 11:40pm

I’ve used a pair of K-240 M’s for a couple of years now. They seem pretty balanced across the spectrum, although the bass response seems just a bit low. I’ve listened to some of my friends’ comparable phones (around same price) and none sounded any better to me, so I can’t see spending the money to buy new ones any time soon. If you’ve got a laptop they may not work well for you - I don’t know - as they’re 600ohm and need to be driven harder than a walkman will go, for instance.

They don’t hurt my ears after 10 hours wearing 'em; in fact, they barely even touch my ears, so maybe Korn’s got big ears in addition to a big head.

Alexander_M_Korn · December 7, 2003, 11:44pm

… i’m not an elefant

Christian_Wunderle · December 9, 2003, 11:10pm

it used a beyerdynamic dt-331 for some years,
sounded very good, then i´ve bought a
sony MDR-V700 (usually (ab)used as DJ Mixing Headphones,
there really to strong for that )
they´re fantastic !

basses are very natural and not overrepresented,
very transparent sound, almost like monitor boxes !

kiste · June 9, 2004, 10:06pm

So, after reading your suggestions and considering online reviews, I finally stuck with AKG K-240 M’s. To be honest, I’m slightly disappointed; not because of their sound characteristics – which are excellent – but lack of comfort. They feel too tight, and cannot be worn more than 1-2 hours straight before the ears start aching. For short-term utilization, however, they’re great.