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Best Private Retreat Using Closed Headphones


To avoid competing with other distractions around the house, I am reconsidering the use of headphones.

For years, I have had a few pairs and headphone amps around: Etymotics, Grados, and Sennheiser 580's to name a few, but rarely used any of them.

I don't like the claustrophic, inside my head feel of the in ear designs, other than maybe on airplanes or my motorbike where I sometimes listen to books on tape.

And I notice that with open phones, they get much louder from the outside than I would like. I don't want to distract anyone, or broadcast whatever I am listening to.

Are there any audiophile, closed headphones that you have tried? Would these permit a bit of escape without bothering or waking anyone else?

Thanks for thoughts.
cwlondon
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
There are a few but they all suffer from the effect of cups. I find the pro Sennheiser HD 25-I-II to be extremely dynamic and very good sounding - perhaps because of the small volume of these cans? They offer 17 db background noise reduction and no noise outside the cans to disturb others - they are popular with pro sports commentators as well as studios and live production. Are they better than open cans - NO - I think you will not find any closed cans that can make that claim - however they are very good.
peter_s
1,335 posts
 
I've got a pair of Ultrasone cans that I like quite well for closed phones. Check out their line.
tom_hankins
928 posts
 
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/closed.php

Lots of options here from $20-$1500 a pair.
fightingwords
86 posts
 
I use a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro headphones. Have had them for about five years. Originally bought them as a pair of phones for detailed mixing back when I was recording a lot.

They struck me as extremely musical and unexhausting for a closed ear. I highly recommend them, against the senheisers and grados of similar price. I know they aren't an audiophile brand but worth a look.
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