Portable Headphones

[Mr.P.]

Hello, I am looking for a pair of Portable Headphone to use with my i pod.I intend to get a Headphone Amplifier, I don't want sound leakage as I will be using on public transport and hopefully not too bulky.I have been recommended the BeyerDynamic DT-770's .Many Thanks.

[ShaunG]

The Beyerdynamic DT770 is an excellent headphone with very good noise isolation. They do benefit from being amped if you are using them with a portable MP3 player. Overall they come highly recommended.

The DT770's are on the upper end of what might be called portable, depending on your opinion. They were originally designed to be used in a studio.

[waxon]

I've been using these Nox headphones for a while now and they have been great. They have these bigger ones here Specialist - NOX Audio

or the buds are really good too: Scout - NOX Audio

I've had mine for a few years now, but I'm gonna wait until the Admiral's come out because they look really awesome. Nox Audio Admiral Touch hands-on - Engadget Galleries

Let me know if this helps

[Mr.P.]

Thanks for that, I am also looking into the Audio Technica ATHES 55 as they look more streamline.I was wondering how they compare to the Beyer Dynamic DT770?

[TheNameIsJambo]

Hi Mr.P,

I just thought I'd drop you my $0.02.

I'm using the Shure-SRH840s (With a good few hours of burn-in). Even straight out of the box they're incredible, especially when coupled to high quality MP3s or a lossless audio source. I literally could listen to them all day, but sadly, work colleagues and my girlfriend like to intrude on my aural-nirvana

Plus they only sport 40 Ohms of Impedance, meaning they don't require a generator to power them. They will sound great straight from a portable audio source, such as an iPod or an iPhone. Although as with any great headphones, they truly shine when connected to an amp.

My first impressions (Straight out the box):

They have a great balance - Very "sparkly" treble, well pronounced mid-range and solid (Not overpowering or overbearing) bass. You may experience some sibilance (extremely pronounced, almost ear piercing treble) and the bass may initially lack some warmth. The sound-stage is pronounced and is audible.

Around 20 hours of burn-in:

They sound clearer, richer and warmer. For these reasons, I've not stopped listening to music for days! I'm not a big fan of pink noise burn-in etc. I prefer just to let the music do it naturally. At this stage the sibilance has began to dissipate and the bass has become a lot warmer. I feel that it still could do with another 10-20 hours to liven

Any 'Studio' grade headphones should serve your purpose. As they're all built with noise-insulation (sound engineers) in mind.

Thanks,
Jamie.

[ShaunG]

Originally Posted by Mr.P.

Thanks for that, I am also looking into the Audio Technica ATHES 55 as they look more streamline.I was wondering how they compare to the Beyer Dynamic DT770?

Yes, the Audio-Technica ATH-ES55 is the most portable, but you are sacrificing sound quality for portability.

The Beyerdynamic DT770 is really designed to be a studio headphone, but at a push can be used portably (if you don't mind people looking at your headphones). The DT770s will benefit from a headphone amp if used with an iPod (may be needed with the latest Nano and Shuffle models).

[Mr.P.]

The other two I have on my list are the Shure SRH840 AND THE Audio Technica ATH M 50.How would these compare to Audio Technica ATH ES 55? I don't want to lose quality but I want them to be portable ,is this possible? Thanks again.

[ShaunG]

The Shure SRH-840 and Audio Technica ATH-M50 are more comparable to the Beyerdynamic DT770, rather than the ATH-ES55.

The ATH-ES55 is designed from the ground up to be used portably with an MP3 player - it's a lightweight, on-ear design. All the others are full size over ear headphones really designed for studio use, but can be used portably if you're willing to compromise a little with convenience.

[Mr.P.]

Thanks Again, I seems like I will go down the Audio Technica ATH ES 55 route as I want the portability. Just another question , I have a pair of SennheiserPX 100's .How will the ES 55's compare with these ? Thanks.

[ShaunG]

The Sennheiser PX100 is a truly amazing headphone for the money... nice wide soundstage, punchy bass and truly portable.

The ATH-ES55 is obviously closed back, so won't sound as wide as the PX100. Saying that the ES55 is a nicely balanced headphone with good bass kick and sparkly trebles. I like the ES55 a lot for portable headphone listening in noisy environments (or if you want to stop your music leaking out).