AKG 601 and Sennheiser HD280 pro, I prefer the AKGs since they are more comfortable and damn wide stereo. The Sennheisers seems to be bigger on the bass tho

Shure SE310 - really great sounding

I use a pair of Sennheiser HD-215’s. Closed back, so external noise is minimal, and they handle mid & top end quite well, but I think the bass response could be better.

They are also really chunky. I’m not a DJ, so I really didn’t need such a robust pair of cans. I mainly use them when I am creating music with Reason (so my partner or my neighbours don’t go batty at the 1000x repetition of a four second loop LOL).

Honestly I am thinking of selling them, because they are a bit uncomfortable after wearing them for 4+ hours at a time, which is quite often.

I need to get off these god-awful bose headphones.

I’m thinking about buying some AKG k240’s…
A good choice? Everything I’ve read about them has been immensely positive.

Cloudwalker - 06 November 2009 10:27 AM

I need to get off these god-awful bose headphones.

I’m thinking about buying some AKG k240’s…
A good choice? Everything I’ve read about them has been immensely positive.

I don’t get it… in the history of this thread (agreed it was a while ago) you were raving about your Bose cans. Has your interest in fidelity matured?

HyperSpiral - 06 November 2009 11:18 AM

Cloudwalker - 06 November 2009 10:27 AM

I need to get off these god-awful bose headphones.

I’m thinking about buying some AKG k240’s…
A good choice? Everything I’ve read about them has been immensely positive.

I don’t get it… in the history of this thread (agreed it was a while ago) you were raving about your Bose cans. Has your interest in fidelity matured?

Yes sir…yes it has.
I used to love ‘em, but now my ears are…changing.  “Maturing” one might say.
I bought some EXCELLENT krk studio monitors, and now the bose just sound like crap compared to them.
Just need something that can keep up on that regard.

Quite honestly, ones ears can adjust to ANY listening environment and it be enjoyable.
But I think it’s time for a change on scenery. 

Cloudwalker - 06 November 2009 10:27 AM

I need to get off these god-awful bose headphones.

I’m thinking about buying some AKG k240’s…
A good choice? Everything I’ve read about them has been immensely positive.

Good choice. I say this as I have the k240 studio.

I’m being kind of a noob here.. So I have a question: To what extent has the source - in which you plug the Headphones - an effect on the soundquality coming out of your headphones?

I have this thing: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/av/products/hf/mcre400.html Does .it have any influence on quality of earphones that I plug in or will it sound the same on any CD player? And how does it compare to when you plug it into your computer or your mobile phone (assuming you have FLAC/320kbps mp3)? I guess it’s worse and worse, right? But I have no idea.

Kodara - 06 November 2009 07:39 PM

I’m being kind of a noob here.. So I have a question: To what extent has the source - in which you plug the Headphones - an effect on the soundquality coming out of your headphones?

I have this thing: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/av/products/hf/mcre400.html Does .it have any influence on quality of earphones that I plug in or will it sound the same on any CD player? And how does it compare to when you plug it into your computer or your mobile phone (assuming you have FLAC/320kbps mp3)? I guess it’s worse and worse, right? But I have no idea.

I have virtually the same as you, mine being the RX-E400 & CDX-E400 and comparing it with my old setup there is a huge difference.
Not being a expert, but I think the quality of the source has a big impact on the overall soundquality. When you plug in headphones there is a difference between quality ones and inferior ones. If you have a good stereo and plug in crappy headphones then you get an inferior end result. If you have an inferior system and plug in good headphones then you will hear the bad quality even more.
For example my laptop with a crappy standard soundcard, that being the source. My yamaha RX-E400 is connected to it. It sounds pretty bad as I can hear more of the imperfections through the quality output. However listening to a cd through the stereo, it sounds so much better because the source is so much better. Source being the CDX-E400 going into the RX-E400 and coming out through either the yamaha NX-E400 speakers or my AKG k240’s
Laymans terms. I play a Shpongle cd album through my stereo player and it is briliant. I put the same cd in my laptop and it is worse.

Does this make sense?

I have virtually the same as you, mine being the RX-E400 & CDX-E400

That link

Kodara - 07 November 2009 12:48 AM

So it’s a bottleneck matter? The ‘worst’ of the two (source/headphones) has by far the biggest influence on the overal sound quality? Intuitively, this makes sense

Anyway, I was thinking of buying AKG 240 MKII headphones. If I plug them into my stereo, I should be fine, right?:D Cause they’re both excellent quality I believe. Now I have cheap, old headphones…

You’re going to get a wonderful listening experience with that imo.

The link I clicked on gave me MCR-E400 Amp CRX-E400 CD + NX-E400 Speakers. Same but I think it’s a newer edition. I bought mine back in 2003 or 2004.

Nice, gonna order them right away!

Sorry I looked further and you’re correct it’s the same. It was the head title I looked at and not the underneath description

HelloMellow - 23 February 2009 04:17 AM

Nothing like my BeyerDynamic DT770’s! Amazing sound! Highly Recomended!

I’ve got a pair of DT770 Pro’s and to me they do have a really good sound, but with a powerful and heavy bass.

So if you don’t like lots of bass you might not like these.

They are very comfortable though, even for prolonged listening.

I have a pair of AKG 171 Studio. I know these are not the best home-listening headphones, but I bought them because they are fully closed and they dampen most external sounds (for listening to music riding trains and stuff).
I have already used AKG 271, 141 and Beyerdynamic DT-990 headphones for some voice-recording at work, so I kind of know what to expect from these - let’s say I’m half experienced with headphones.

I’d say the AKG 171 is quite okay for listening at home, yet I think I need to get some half-open headphones at some point even if it’s only for comfort (the 171 have quite some pressure on your ears… really unpleasant over time when you’re wearing glasses like me)

Of course the amplifier is really important as well. I’m using a Yamaha AX-397 stereo amplifier - quite a good deal, low price and relatively high fidelity sound.
I’m usually listening with a pair of quadral KX-150 speakers, a few years old but still good 3-way speakers (100W @4Ohm). The room they are currently in doesn’t do them justice - I really need to dampen it down a bit.

Back to the initial question: I’m using the AKG 171 studio as my home-listening headphones, but I think I’m going to buy a pair of AKG 242 or something similar in the near future because it will offer a slightly higher listening quality with a lot higher wearing quality.