Marleybob217
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Posts
- 1,705
- Likes
- 91
Closed headphones are so important, they give the user freedom to listen to music whenever, wherever.
While open headphones are superior sonically, they are most unpractical when used in public for obvious reasons.
I would like to dedicate this thread for users to nominate their favorite closed headphone.
Tell us why you think your choice is the best, please give arguments holding in account:
*Sound Quality
*Flexibility in account to genres
*Isolation/leakage
*Portability/drivability
*Comfort
*Durability
*Price performance ratio
*Last And least: Looks
Pretty pictures are ofcourse most welcome.
(IEM's are welcome too!)
I'll start.
I have owned the DT770 pro 80 ohm, HD25-1 II, Shure SRH840 and the shure SE425.
I have sold, or returned all these headphones and I currently own the German Maestro GMP 8.35D.
Pics or it didn't happen?
Ok.
This is the German Maestro with the oval ear pads.
*Sound Quality
Balanced, immersive, detailed and musical.
I'd say the GMP 8.35D sounds like the SRH840, with more PRaT. I actually never AB-ed them so I can't say things like the GMP has 3.456% more detail than the SRH840 and such.
Compaired to the HD25-1 II the GMP 8.35D is better in every aspect (IMO) bass extends lower, highs are not shrill, and mids are smoother and more musical. The GMP 8.35D also has a (much) better soundstage and offers more detail, while maintaining a more balanced sound.
These headphones actually sound suspiciously much like my mackie mr8 mkII studio monitors. The GMP 8.35D can reveal some sibilance with the oval ear pads, but I solved this by adding two layers of cotton in front of the driver. They take away the edge of the sibilance but do not make the headphones sound muddy in any way.
I actually am really sensitive to sibilance, but with the mod I think they offer just enough sibilance when the track is obviously sibilant.
*Flexibility in account to genres
A lot of closed headphones are really good with a certain genre, unless you only listen to one genre this is not very practical.
The GMP 8.35D performs with every genre, period.
*Isolation/leakage
The GMP 8.35D has the best isolation of all closed headphones I have ever had on or over my ears. The IEMs from shure offered more isolation but these are considerably less comfortable.
They also leak less sound than the HD25-1 II which says quite something.
*Portability/drivability
They are 35 ohm, and sound really good straight out of the iphone 3gs. I have bought the hisaundaudio rocoo p for a bit more PRaT, but this really is not necessary. After some experience with these headphones I have noticed these sound just ok through my iPhone or my laptop. They scale up quite a bit when hooked to my fiio e9, I have to check if they still scale up from the fiio e7 to the e9 though.
I actually ordered the hisoundaudio roocoo p for these headphones!
*Comfort
They are very comfortable considering these have quite some clamping force. Only after a couple of hours of wearing it becomes slightly bothersome (and I have a wide head). With it's clamping force they won't fall of quickly, this is something I really hated about the SRH840 they were so awkward I had to return them!
*Durability
You might have seen these headphones in stores where they sell cds, and these headphones are used by a huge quantity of people so they must be durable.
There are literally videos of sailes men walking over it, they have some sort of light metal bendy headband.
The HD25-1 II are supposed to be quite durable, but I thought they felt pretty flimsy. The earcups are attached pretty loosely to the headband. All the parts of the HD25-1 are replacable, but these parts are really frakking expensive. Might as well buy a new one considering all the other parts will probably die soon too.
*Price performance ratio
I got the GMP 8.35D for 180 euros, this is with the oval ear pads (19 euros).
The HD-25-1 is sold for about 150 euros, but offer less in my opinion.
The shure SRH840 is priced at about the same as the HD25-1 II, while they offer good sound quality the headband is so awkward and it just looked so ridiculous on my head, that I wouldn't take them outside.
*Last And least: Looks
I think they look minimalistic and rugged. And they look cool on my head.
They don't look fancy or expensive or extraordinary, but they do perform in those ways.
Contenders
Logitech UE 6000 & 9000
GMP 8.35D
AKG K550
Fostex T50rp/Thunderpants
Sony MDR-Z1000
Way expensive:
Ultrasone Signature Pro
Fostex TH-900
Audio-Technica ATH-W3000ANV
While open headphones are superior sonically, they are most unpractical when used in public for obvious reasons.
I would like to dedicate this thread for users to nominate their favorite closed headphone.
Tell us why you think your choice is the best, please give arguments holding in account:
*Sound Quality
*Flexibility in account to genres
*Isolation/leakage
*Portability/drivability
*Comfort
*Durability
*Price performance ratio
*Last And least: Looks
Pretty pictures are ofcourse most welcome.
(IEM's are welcome too!)
I'll start.
I have owned the DT770 pro 80 ohm, HD25-1 II, Shure SRH840 and the shure SE425.
I have sold, or returned all these headphones and I currently own the German Maestro GMP 8.35D.
Pics or it didn't happen?
Ok.
This is the German Maestro with the oval ear pads.
*Sound Quality
Balanced, immersive, detailed and musical.
I'd say the GMP 8.35D sounds like the SRH840, with more PRaT. I actually never AB-ed them so I can't say things like the GMP has 3.456% more detail than the SRH840 and such.
Compaired to the HD25-1 II the GMP 8.35D is better in every aspect (IMO) bass extends lower, highs are not shrill, and mids are smoother and more musical. The GMP 8.35D also has a (much) better soundstage and offers more detail, while maintaining a more balanced sound.
These headphones actually sound suspiciously much like my mackie mr8 mkII studio monitors. The GMP 8.35D can reveal some sibilance with the oval ear pads, but I solved this by adding two layers of cotton in front of the driver. They take away the edge of the sibilance but do not make the headphones sound muddy in any way.
I actually am really sensitive to sibilance, but with the mod I think they offer just enough sibilance when the track is obviously sibilant.
*Flexibility in account to genres
A lot of closed headphones are really good with a certain genre, unless you only listen to one genre this is not very practical.
The GMP 8.35D performs with every genre, period.
*Isolation/leakage
The GMP 8.35D has the best isolation of all closed headphones I have ever had on or over my ears. The IEMs from shure offered more isolation but these are considerably less comfortable.
They also leak less sound than the HD25-1 II which says quite something.
*Portability/drivability
They are 35 ohm, and sound really good straight out of the iphone 3gs. I have bought the hisaundaudio rocoo p for a bit more PRaT, but this really is not necessary. After some experience with these headphones I have noticed these sound just ok through my iPhone or my laptop. They scale up quite a bit when hooked to my fiio e9, I have to check if they still scale up from the fiio e7 to the e9 though.
I actually ordered the hisoundaudio roocoo p for these headphones!
*Comfort
They are very comfortable considering these have quite some clamping force. Only after a couple of hours of wearing it becomes slightly bothersome (and I have a wide head). With it's clamping force they won't fall of quickly, this is something I really hated about the SRH840 they were so awkward I had to return them!
*Durability
You might have seen these headphones in stores where they sell cds, and these headphones are used by a huge quantity of people so they must be durable.
There are literally videos of sailes men walking over it, they have some sort of light metal bendy headband.
The HD25-1 II are supposed to be quite durable, but I thought they felt pretty flimsy. The earcups are attached pretty loosely to the headband. All the parts of the HD25-1 are replacable, but these parts are really frakking expensive. Might as well buy a new one considering all the other parts will probably die soon too.
*Price performance ratio
I got the GMP 8.35D for 180 euros, this is with the oval ear pads (19 euros).
The HD-25-1 is sold for about 150 euros, but offer less in my opinion.
The shure SRH840 is priced at about the same as the HD25-1 II, while they offer good sound quality the headband is so awkward and it just looked so ridiculous on my head, that I wouldn't take them outside.
*Last And least: Looks
I think they look minimalistic and rugged. And they look cool on my head.
They don't look fancy or expensive or extraordinary, but they do perform in those ways.
Contenders
Logitech UE 6000 & 9000
GMP 8.35D
AKG K550
Fostex T50rp/Thunderpants
Sony MDR-Z1000
Way expensive:
Ultrasone Signature Pro
Fostex TH-900
Audio-Technica ATH-W3000ANV