Headphone shopping. Looking for good comfortable set

[phaxmohdem]

I"m in the market for some good headphones. I live in an apartment, and and very much a night owl, so I can't be blaring my MP3 collection over my speakers unfortunately. Currently I am using a pair of $20 Wal-Mart Sony MDR-V150 headphones. The sound quality is just OK, but more importantly they are pretty darn uncomfortable after using them for 30 minutes to an hour or so.

I am looking around, trying to find a set that both sounds great and will wear comfortably for multi-hour listening sessions. I am intrigued by the Sennheiser HD280's that seem to be pretty popular, and they are in my price range at around $100, however I've read conflicting reviews on their comfort level.

Any thoughts? what headphones do you all use, and would you recommend them?

I'm hardly an audiophile, but I appreciate sound quality enough to know a sucky pair of cans.

Thanks.

 

[mshan]

Sennheiser HD-555 comes to mind, but you really need to specify source and musical tastes.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/

http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/

 

[EvilYoda]

These

Great reviews and it was also written up in this month's Stereophile, specifically pointing out how newegg has a pair of MSRP $250 headphones for a little over $100 shipped. His reaction was basically "you can't lose" along with the fact that they're super comfortable: "I find them among the most comfortable headphones I've tried".

I'll be getting a pair myself after I get my move underway...looks like Stereophile worked, as they're currently OOS

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
These

AD700 are open type cans. NE has the A700 closed type cans in stock for $13 more. I have the A900, and they're indeed very very comfortable headphones due to the unique head rest system.

Ps. Sennheiser headphones require a lot of power at the source to work properly due to their high ohm, usually in the 120. HD280 feels like a death clamp and has high ohm. Audio Technica headphones have lower ohm, usually 32.

 

[EvilYoda]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
These

AD700 are open type cans. NE has the A700 closed type cans in stock for $13 more. I have the A900, and they're indeed very very comfortable headphones due to the unique head rest system.

Ps. Sennheiser headphones require a lot of power at the source to work properly due to their high ohm, usually in the 120. HD280 feels like a death clamp and has high ohm. Audio Technica headphones have lower ohm, usually 32.

Yeah, I don't mind the open version...it'll only be used at work in the office or at home, so no one will be bothered. Still not sure what to do about an amp...might use a vintage integrated just for the headphone setup.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
These

AD700 are open type cans. NE has the A700 closed type cans in stock for $13 more. I have the A900, and they're indeed very very comfortable headphones due to the unique head rest system.

Ps. Sennheiser headphones require a lot of power at the source to work properly due to their high ohm, usually in the 120. HD280 feels like a death clamp and has high ohm. Audio Technica headphones have lower ohm, usually 32.

++ on Audio Technica's comfort.

 

[phaxmohdem]

Thanks alot! I never even considered the AT's definitely goingto do some research. I also found revies on a pair of Grado's.. SR60? But those AT's look like about the perfect fit fit my needs.

 

[EvilYoda]

The Grado SR-60s are my standard suggestion, but you could afford a higher model if you wanted to.

 

[Baked]

Grados are anything but comfortable. You could buy some Sennheiser HD414 earpads and do some mods to fit on them on the grados. Too much trouble. If you're gonna look at Grados, check out Alessandro headphones as well. They're basically modified Grados that sound different. Check out Head-fi.org forums for details.

 

[EvilYoda]

That's true, I forgot about the comfort requirement

 

[darkswordsman17]

I am an Audio-Technica fan, so they'd be high on my list, although the price for them has trended upwards due to a couple of factors (one being the weak dollar). You might also check out the Equation Audio RP-21, which should be in that price range. There seems to be another one, maybe Goldring DR-150 that looks kinda like the Sennheiser HD-555, but is supposed to sound quite a bit like Grados. I would also recommend checking out Ultrasone, I believe Alienware sells a couple of re-branded ones under their own name. I started with the HD-280s, and then moved to the HD-555, and I think a lot of people would be very happy with the latter, it has a good fun sound, is very comfortable, and just overall a good headphone. It would probably be my recommendation.