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Who else cant go back to closed back headphones after listening to open back?

SeriousApple

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Can i get a Amen!!



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bunkbail

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Not me. Open back is overrated.
 

DeepFried

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Open back can sound best for some genre of music. I love my HD600's especially for classical, jazz, guitar, vocals etc. But if you're talking about electronic music, beats and high hats, I think it often sounds better on closed back. I also find closed back preferable in general because of the isolation, I like the more intimate experience and external noise rejection. My 'workhorse' headphones are DT770's (closed), I also have Bose QC35's, and have had several other closed backs in the past.

My next headphone purchase goal is to get a low distortion planar closed back, but thats for the future.
 

SergeyPe

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Tell me your main headphone is closed back the one you love the most?
Shure 1540 (with a very mild EQ, which should be applied anyway- to openbacks more than to the closed ones)- great sound & perfect comfort. AKG 371 is following closely (they are a bit less comfortable). Focal Elegia (almost as comfortable as Shure but requires a bit more of EQ).
HD600 and HD800 are collecting dust since I've started with the above mentioned closed back ones...
 
OP
SeriousApple

SeriousApple

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Open back can sound best for some genre of music. I love my HD600's especially for classical, jazz, guitar, vocals etc. But if you're talking about electronic music, beats and high hats, I think it often sounds better on closed back. I also find closed back preferable in general because of the isolation, I like the more intimate experience and external noise rejection. My 'workhorse' headphones are DT770's (closed), I also have Bose QC35's, and have had several other closed backs in the past.

My next headphone purchase goal is to get a low distortion planar closed back, but thats for the future.
I want to get some bheyerdynamics those look like good headphones.
 
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SeriousApple

SeriousApple

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Shure 1540 (with a very mild EQ, which should be applied anyway- to openbacks more than to the closed ones)- great sound & perfect comfort. AKG 371 is following closely (they are a bit less comfortable). Focal Elegia (almost as comfortable as Shure but requires a bit more of EQ).
HD600 and HD800 are collecting dust since I've started with the above mentioned closed back ones...
Shure 1540 look yummy af think i might get those. :):)
 

Zensō

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They both have their advantages. Sure, open back tend to sound best in a quiet environment, but in even a modestly noisy environment those advantages are swamped by external noise. And open back are nearly useless in the recording studio and live performance (or the office for that matter).
 
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SeriousApple

SeriousApple

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They both have their advantages. Sure, open back tend to sound best in a quiet environment, but in even a modestly noisy environment those advantages are swamped by external noise. And open back are nearly useless in recording studios and live performance (or the office for that matter).
Totally agreed with you. You said it right on the money!! :D I have experienced the same thing when its dead silent it sounds amazing. When you introduce constant sound into the surrounding area quality takes a hit for sure. :)
 
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Robin L

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I'm going to listen to my Drop 6XX more than my AKG K371 because I'll listen to music more at my desk, in my room, relatively isolated from distracting sounds. But for portable use, open back phones are useless. Different horses for different courses.

This is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. Please, no wagering.
 

Robin L

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I want to get some bheyerdynamics those look like good headphones.
My understanding is that they are treble heavy. Sennheiser HD 650/660 and Drop 6XX are smoother and more linear on top. All open back headphones I've owned [with the exception of Fidelio X2HR] require a bass boost, preferably with a PEQ.
 
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SeriousApple

SeriousApple

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I'm going to listen to my Drop 6XX more than my AKG K371 because I'll listen to music more at my desk, in my room, relatively isolated from distracting sounds. But for portable use, open back phones are useless. Different horses for different courses.

This is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. Please, no wagering.
Agreed totally :) okay no wagering :p
 
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SeriousApple

SeriousApple

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My understanding is that they are treble heavy. Sennheiser HD 650/660 and Drop 6XX are smoother and more linear on top. All open back headphones I've owned [with the exception of Fidelio X2HR] require a bass boost, preferably with a PEQ.
Agreed with bass boost on X2 HR i have those. But i dont know what happned now that i have used it quite a bit the bass seems to be comming out quite good.
 

Robin L

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Agreed with bass boost on X2 HR i have those. But i dont know what happned now that i have used it quite a bit the bass seems to be comming out quite good.
Bass with the X2 HR is good to 40hz out of the box. I don't know if you've heard or own the [relatively cheap] AKG K371, but they do bass better than any open back phone I've owned/used. If you're a bass head, you're gonna need good closed-back headphones.
 

DVDdoug

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Disclaimer - I generally prefer speakers and I rarely listen to headphones... It's probably been a month since I used a pair of headphones

I do prefer open headphones. I have a pair of Grados and I carry a pair of Koss Porta-Pros in my laptop bag. But MAYBE that's just because I like to know what's going-on around me. Although, when I'm listening to music I'm drowning-out most outside sounds anyway so it's mostly an imagined benefit...

I also have a pair of Sennheiser HS280s (closed back) that I bought for situations where I needed isolation. The funny thing is... Every time I would use them I would expect to hear a "closed resonant headphone sound" and I was surprised how good they sounded. Maybe I was remembering some cheap headphones I had long ago... I don't know... Finally, I've realized that they sound OK.
 

raistlin65

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Since the contractors have been at my house the last couple weeks doing renovation, closed backs definitely win! :D;)

But yes. I do usually prefer my open headphones to my closed headphones.

Even when hanging in the backyard, I like to use open headphones because it makes me feel more part of my environment.
 
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Jimbob54

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For what it's worth I think my favourite headphones are hd800 and ether CX and I'm not sure the open /closed nature plays a part in why I lie like them.
They both feel and sound "right" but different.
 

Joe Smith

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I'm going to listen to my Drop 6XX more than my AKG K371 because I'll listen to music more at my desk, in my room, relatively isolated from distracting sounds. But for portable use, open back phones are useless. Different horses for different courses.

This is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. Please, no wagering.

A David Letterman line that I always deeply loved! Made me smile.

I was raised on my Sennheiser HD414's and I still use and love them (once you get the headband clamp softened up a bit), but the AKG K361's have become my daily driver. Very nice for office/low noise use and comfortable to wear for a long, long time.
 

Tatr76

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Bought first pair of open backs recently hd650's as cheap and Amirm always referencing them. Really like them when listening to certain music like vocal, classical and jazz and more so if in relaxed session when doing nothing else but listening. However never find them really fun like a my closed back Campfire Cascades for example, which I fear would measure poorly but put a smile on my face especially for edm. If I had to grab only one headphone to keep it would be closed back. Just bought sh-8s so will have to buy a few more headphone examples, including some planars as not owned those, all in the name of science of course.....
 
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