Headphones open or closed back

[Paul-H]

Hi all

Hope this is the correct section for this question

Just moved to a new home and playing music through speakers is not going to be an option, so will be looking into getting some decent headphones.

First question

From an audio listening point of view which is better Open or Closed Back.

Any recommendations for some that would not break the bank, say £150 max

Thanks for any input on this

Paul

[struth]

opens leak a lot of sound usually... both ways so if thats an issue the closed might be the option. Funny but after some research i just bought a pair of closedback Audio Technicas for listening. I am very happy with them.. ath msr7. great build and sound for the money imv

[Mark Grant]

It's a personal choice and headphones are a slippery slope to more expense as great headphones are spendy.

Closed back will also help stop sound leaking in, with open back if there is some other noise such as a loud TV or hoovering you will probably hear it especially on the quiet parts of music.

Ideally noise cancelling that sounds good would be ideal to escape into your own world of music.

[archiesdad]

I use open back when I just want to listen alone late at night, no one to annoy with the leaking sound and I have a closed back pair for when she's watching shit on the telly so I don't disturb her. Both pairs are comfy and sound fine to me.

[spm]

can't say I've tested many headphones but I have these for years which I like and at £17.50 they definitely won't break the bank!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monoprice-Premium-Hi-Fi-Style-Headphone/dp/B007SP2CO2

They are closed back, I do also have some Goldring DR100 open back and I find the sound good but they are less versatile and need quiet background noise. We encourage my son to use them when gaming as he tends to shout less with the open back.

[AlfaGTV]

I would definently look into a set of Philips Fidelio X2 with that budget. They work just fine with smartphones and tablets but will compete with cans ten times their price when driven by a proper head amp. (Schiit Jotunheim e.t.c.)
Cheers
Mike

[ReggieB]

For your budget, I'd recommend AKG 701 (http://www.akg.com/pro/p/k701). At £120ish (e.g. on amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-701-Headphones-Ear-Hook/dp/B000EBBJ6Y)) they are an end of line steal. I paid almost twice that much a couple of ears ago and thought I had a bargain.

They are open backed. Here is a review (http://www.whathifi.com/akg/k701/review).

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81ixc88ohyL._SL1500_.jpg

[RichB]

I prefer a closed back style. Mine are these Audio Technica ath-m50x. Within your budget and excellent.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUR86/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482393826&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=audio-technica+ath-m50x&dpPl=1&dpID=51HDUQDrcAL&ref=plSrch

[jandl100]

AKG 701 are a bit Marmite. I know folks who love them but I hate them with a passion! - sound is light and boppy, very unsatisfying for me.

I've been on a bit of a headphone journey the last year or so on a hunt for closed back 'phones I can listen to while my late-rising mrs is still in bed.

The best I have found for me are Audio Technica DT-150, PSB M4U-1 and B&O H6.

The B&O H6 are a bit bass light but very open sounding, especially for closed backs.
The AT DT150 are very spacious but just a bit vague in imaging.
The PSB M4U-1 are very solid sounding with the best defined and deepest bass, but the rest of the spectrum is excellent, too - a very dynamic presentation.

My search is over and I will be keeping all 3 sets, as well as some B&O Form 2a, which are much cheaper but amazingly light and very open and detailed, if lacking in real bass weight.

Critically, for me, all 3 of the above are very comfortable over-ear models - that is the ear cushions surround the ear rather than press on it. I find that headphones that clamp on to your ears rather than your head get very uncumfy very quickly, with the little B&O Form 2a being a notable exception.
None of my choices leak sound to any significant degree.

Comfort is a very personal thing, you really do need to try some and make up your own mind,

And then their are IEMs - in ear monitors - that plug into your ear canal. Sound and isolation can be exceptional but I find them uncumfy.

[wee tee cee]

Have a look at the THOMANN site. Superlux headphones are superb bang for buck cans. 660/440/330/668b are all worth a try-they sell a akg replacement felt ear pads that greatly improve comfort and fit all the above.

My personal choice is Sennhieser 650/700 both outside your budget but if you are considering second hand they are cans for life.

Have a read on headfi great site for cans users if you can navigate round the banal pish talked by some.....

[guy]

I use open back when I just want to listen alone late at night, no one to annoy with the leaking sound and I have a closed back pair for when she's watching shit on the telly so I don't disturb her. Both pairs are comfy and sound fine to me.

+1

Open back - Alessandro MS (effectively Grado, but cheaper in UK than Grado for some strange reason) , live, dynamic, caused ructions with rest of family:)


Closed back/portable - B&W P3, classy and comfortable for my head (in fact comfort is the deciding factor, over sound quality,for me. No point having brilliant sounding headphones that can only be worn for five minutes imo).

[ReggieB]

Have a look at the THOMANN site.

+1

[petrat]

Not any real experience, but I do like Grado headphones. I spent an afternoon at a dealers auditioning the entire line some years ago. They were all good, but I ended up preferring the second-to-bottom of the range, the SR80s. When I (apologetically) told the dealer that I thought them better than the more pricey ones, he said he thought so too! Compared to Sennheisers, I found them more dynamic and lively.

Actually, I'm not allowed to wear headphones when others are around, because they tell me I end up tunelessly humming along and drumming randomly with the music ... so, it kind of defeats the purpose of having them :rolleyes:

[struth]

My next set will maybe be grados. Happy with the at,s though. A set of opens would be nice to change with, so grado or akg 701/2 maybe. I have to say i think cans have come on a fair bit since my last set several years ago.

[Stratmangler]

I have AKG-702s myself, and I think they're great.
They're also £ 17.00 less than I paid for mine at the moment https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-Open-Back-Dynamic-Reference-Headphones/dp/B001RCD2DW/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482406385&sr=1-9&keywords=akg+headphones
Much more communicative than the rather opaque sounding Sennheiser HD-650s I tried (some folks call 'em warm, I think opaque is a much more accurate term).
They AKGs are very leaky - I can clearly make out what they're playing from the next room when the house is quiet.
They also need to be thrashed to get the best out of them. They sound horrible from cold, running for a couple of hours improves things considerably, but a good couple of weeks run in is needed to get them to perform properly.

To get the best out of headphones you need a decent headphone amp - the built in headphone output on most amplifiers will simply be an attenuated output from the power amp, and will most definitely be limited in current delivery capabilities. They'll also vary hugely in quality.
I use a Graham Slee Solo II/PSU1 headphone amplifier, and it performs its task very well indeed. It's a load better than the output from my integrated amplifier.

[Yomanze]

All things being equal, open-back headphones are more natural, less coloured, and just sound more, erm, open. They leak noise out, and let outside noise in though.

Closed back headphones offer more isolation from the outside world, which can be advantageous in many situations.

[wee tee cee]

Came home from a late shift Monday night my sons car was in the drive so assumed he was tucked up in bed-put the chain on the door and sat down with Honey Jack and set about listening to Prince on the cans. I dont know the hit n run album very well but was amazed when i heard knocking sounds way out on the edges of the soundstage. I was thinking it was an incredible recording until I noticed the wee fella frantically waving outside in the dark-yup he had been knocking the window for two tracks!!!

Im a manto....

[danilo]

My next set will maybe be grados. Happy with the at,s though. A set of opens would be nice to change with, so grado or akg 701/2 maybe. I have to say i think cans have come on a fair bit since my last set several years ago.

Tread ightly.. Lower priced Grados have uncomfortable Ear pads and Mehhh sounds.
As in mine albeit by necessity..Tweaked, are still nowhere near as good sounding as my speakers,
as result I haven't bothered using them for years now
Mo' $$ improves on both comfort and sounds but then there Are competitors.
Best to audition a pair at length (overnight?) before paying as intial impressions.. Change with familiarity.

[Pete The Cat]

IMHO the difference in presentation between various headphones is quite big regardless of whether they're open or closed and there are good examples of both designs. I have each and to the original question would recommend listening to Beyer DT990 Pros, which are open backed. They have an upfront and punchy sound compared to, say, many Sennheisers which can be more laid back and clinical (although that can have a time and a place too) and are comfy and durable. They have a wide following among musicians and studios so can be easily sold on if you wish and retail for around £100.

Pete

[archiesdad]

Actually, I'm not allowed to wear headphones when others are around, because they tell me I end up tunelessly humming along and drumming randomly with the music ... so, it kind of defeats the purpose of having them :rolleyes:

It's not just me then, been known to even start singing? along when perched on a sun lounger with a book in on hand and a brandy in the other.

[Lawrence001]

All things being equal, open-back headphones are more natural, less coloured, and just sound more, erm, open. They leak noise out, and let outside noise in though.

Closed back headphones offer more isolation from the outside world, which can be advantageous in many situations.

Totally agree, always go open if the environment allows.

I've owned about 30 pairs over the years including stax lamdas but I've finally settled on the Hifiman HE500s as my end game cans. These can be had for about £300 but need some driving as do most planars. They can be driven from a normal speaker amp with an adaptor or fitting banana plugs to the cable in place of the jack (or go bare wire) so you don't need to buy a headphone amp. In return I've got the closest sound i could find to a good pair of speakers.

Below £150 I recommend a pair of Sennheiser HD580s (I luckily got mine for £50 with worn pads) and spend the rest on an amp. I love the little dot mk3 with them with upgraded tubes.



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[Lawrence001]

Doh

[Arkless Electronics]

Open back. I've always found them to be more well.. open sounding...