Hi all, I’m currently drooling at the bowers and wikins p5’s but wincing at the £250 price tag.
I want some over ear phones, with as little leakage as I can get away with but with good sound quality.
My music tastes vary so I need an all rounder really. I’ve looked at the review websites but the “also consider” sections are full of in-ears so pretty useless.
I want the smaller jack for the iPod etc and pretty portable. Exactly what the P5’s offer, so are there any alternatives at less cost?
Thanks

http://www.iheadphones.co.uk/grado-igrado-street-style-black.html

these any good to you? they are an updated version of the ones i have that are pretty good.

Some useful info here….

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan10/articles/studioheadphones.htm

It’s generally accepted thay open backed (poorer isolation) sound better then closed backed (better isoation), so you may have to decide on where you want to comprimise.

I have HD595, HD650’s and Beyer DT880’s (all open backed) + some close backed sennheisers. I like the HD650’s best, but the DT880’s are really nice (bit more ‘hifi sounding’). If your using with an Ipod, don’t get high impeadance ones (my DT880’s are 250ohm, and an ipad struggles to drive them to acceptable levels, you can get 32ohm versions which would work better, or buy an external amp).

AKG 701/702’s are also highly regarded, but not heard them.

Can’t give any recommendations BUT try them on before you buy and not just for sound quality. If you are going for large headphones then comfort is an issue I actually really like Beyer DT100s but they seem to fit my head! Lots of people hate them because they don’t fit well – they are not great hifi headphones!

ive rocking the beats tour in ear headphones these ones http://www.beatsbydre.com/products/Products.aspx?pid=B5097&cat=2

better than my bose they where possitively crap compaired to the monster beats tour’s

I have some Shure 840s which are pretty good, and there was quite a buzz over them when they came out.

Very similair sounding to my Shure SE535s IEMS which cost more – the midrange isn’t quite as smooth.

They are closed back but sound very open. £145.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SHURE-JSH-SRH840-HEADPHONES/dp/B002E3IWQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318418710&sr=8-1

they also do a 940 model now, for more money.

Great stuff thanks.
Has anyone had any experience with these;
http://eu.audio-technica.com/en/products/product.asp?catID=5&subID=38&prodID=210

Those hd 650s look very nice but are the same price as the p5. I tried the p5 in John Lewis and was frankly amazed at the sound quality, however I’m no expert. Some of the headphones are a bit home orientated ( like the shure) and I want some thing that I can take around a bit if I want and not look like a cyborg!

I wore my Shure 840s for walking to work in London for 6 months last year while my collarbone fixed and I had a bike ban – don’t remember getting too many stares, or more than I normally get…

Maybe have a look at Grado? I have some low end ones and the quality is way and above anything else I tried in the price range, so I guess the more expensive ones are worth considering.

I’ve got the P5’s and highly recommend. Ideal for music on the go as they’re not too big, there is a remote for iPod/iPhone on the cord and the sound quality is spot on!

Sennheiser HD-25 1 II are the best closed portables end of!

Sennheiser HD-25 1 II are the best closed portables end of!

…agreed, but they are still a fair way behind open backed for similar money (IMHO)

+1 for Grado headphones, functional looking but the sounds brilliant.

…agreed, but they are still a fair way behind open backed for similar money (IMHO)

Yeah but he said…

with as little leakage as I can get away with

Grado cans are fabulous, but aren’t they all open backed designs?

If you don’t want any leakage then you need closed back designs. I personally think the P5s are brilliant for what they do, i.e. they have zero leakage at any volume my iPod can drive them to and fold relatively flat in their own natty little quilted bag.

I’ve had Sennheiser HD600s in the past and they were wonderful, but you’re sharing your music with everyone in a 4m radius.

Thanks chaps. I’ve seen some nice Shure ones;
http://www.shure.co.uk/products/headphones/srh750dj
Are these likely to be a bit rubbish for PC/iPod use?
If so, I may to just save my pennies and get the P5s after all.

What file format are you going to be listening to? If you’re using something like MP3, AAC or another compression format then you’ll see as much improvement in quality by switching to a lossless format before you spend £250 on any kind of headphones.

Akg 450 can be found online for £50 , cheap and pretty good after 60 hours of run in.
I’m also in the market for some P5 , they are my next treat for myself for being good boy 🙂

I think the Audio Technica MTH50 are supposed to be the cat’s arse when it comes to “portable” headphones. Guy at work swears by them.