Sony In-Ear ones that I use with iPod, though excellent, have given up the ghost and I need a pair of headphones that go over the ear as I'm going to be using them to listen to TV too in the very near future (I won't explain why!)....on a bit of a budget, and came across the HD449's...has anyone tried them? Any good?
I'm drowning in headphones! My supposedly best are the Sennheiser HD598 which cost over twice as much as the HD449s (have since dropped to about $187), but I've been quite happy with my Sennheiser HD555, which cost a lot less, and my Koss Ur/29 sound pretty good too. But I created a stir at Amazon when I posted a very positive review of a pair of Sony MDRZX100/BLK ZX that cost me less than $16 and later bought another pair of them for a friend, and while not completely covering the ears like the others, sound quite decent to me ... especially for the price! Incidentally, I sometimes use a small Kilimanjaro Fii0 amplifier with the HD598 for a fuller sound.
When I want big headphones I always go with Sennheiser because they are easy to replace the cables when they mess up. I've had my EH350s for a long time, probably at least six or seven years now. Replaced the cables a few times over the years but totally worth it.
Sirusjr: When I want big headphones I always go with Sennheiser because they are easy to replace the cables when they mess up. I've had my EH350s for a long time, probably at least six or seven years now. Replaced the cables a few times over the years but totally worth it.
Interesting. I had this favorite pair of small Koss PortaPro headphones that cost me about $45 (way back when Amazon charged for shipping for most things), but I went through at least 3 pair of them, always because I would jerk my head around and disconnect one channel -- the thin black cable, usually the left, looked fine, but had no sound. Kept them, because I hoped that one day I might find someone who knew how to re-wire (or re-connect) them. Have had no problem with ones with thick cables, such as my Senneheisers (HD 598 and HD 555) or the fairly big Koss UR/29. What we put up with for our music! (I have 2 pair of the white earbuds that came with my last 2 iPods and have never taken them out of their clear plastic packaging -- just don't care for most earbuds.)
When I want big headphones I always go with Sennheiser because they are easy to replace the cables when they mess up. I've had my EH350s for a long time, probably at least six or seven years now. Replaced the cables a few times over the years but totally worth it.
What do you use them for? Would they be any good for iPod? TV as a reasonable volume?
Greg: I know you weren't asking me, but the big Sennheiser's are great with TV and movie broadcasts, although in the case of the latter, I usually prefer to use my entire surround array of large and powerful speakers -- am really not too much into watching movies with headphones. But it helps if your receiver has a headphone jack, which many later receivers don't supply, and I can't remember the last time I've seen a Blu-ray player with a headphone jack.
Greg: I know you weren't asking me, but the big Sennheiser's are great with TV and movie broadcasts, although in the case of the latter, I usually prefer to use my entire surround array of large and powerful speakers -- am really not too much into watching movies with headphones. But it helps if your receiver has a headphone jack, which many later receivers don't supply, and I can't remember the last time I've seen a Blu-ray player with a headphone jack.
Yup yup - I'm a big one for the whole Sound Experience too...somewhat unfortunately, I am due to move house imminently to somewhere where I won't be allowed to "indulge" quite as much as I can at the moment in my nice Sony Home Theatre...it will be headphones in the wee small hours or nothing...
There will be no issues with headphone socket...already thought of that.
It depends on the pair whether they are going to be fine with an ipod. You should read the reviews to see if the HD449s require you to have a headphone amp to get the most out of them. The only problem with mine is that they are open air, so they leak sound to people around me. They also don't block out external sounds at all. The HD449s probably do a better job with both of those.
EDIT: Some guys on Head-fi.org are saying that the HD449s need to be amplified to get the full experience. "Note, whichever one you might buy, please amp them, its the only way to use them properly and bring out the true potential, without the amping they sound ordinary as do many of the best headphones which are designed to be amped."
I owned a pair of Sennheisers for many years and loved them. I currently own a pair of very nice Sennheiser ear buds and they too are wonderful with my iPod. My husband worked for many years in a high end audio store and still has friends in the business (what is left of it around here). When it came time for a new pair, my husband bought me Grado Prestige SR125i. They are wonderful as well, especially for my recent onset of tinnitus. They allow me to raise the volume without being overwhelmed. But I can honestly say that I loved my Sennheisers as well. I believe I owned the HD280 if I recall and used them with my iPod without any issues.
Sirusjr: Re: The only problem with mine is that they are open air, so they leak sound to people around me.
Since Greg just didn't want his neighbors to hear, I doubt that leak would present any problem ... but I have noticed that if I turn up the HD598 while on a flight that people seated next to me are sometimes aware of the leakage.
I have been checking out ibood for a new pair of headphones for some time. I came close to getting a pair of refurbished Beats by Dre at an affordable price but after reading the reviews easily passed on them. So couple of weeks ago ibood had a great deal on a new set of open-back Shure headphones (SRH 1440), design wise very close to sennheiser. I received them and have been testing them for the last couple of days. I've hooked them up to an amp (m-audio) that's hooked to my imac and honestly I've never experienced sound this good. My previous headphones were closed off so getting to experience the open back sound is a huge improvement, the instruments placement is much clearer and detailed then before. Truly a "where have you been all my life" experience.
My previous headphones were closed off so getting to experience the open back sound is a huge improvement, the instruments placement is much clearer and detailed then before. Truly a "where have you been all my life" experience.
Full-sized, open-back headphones are where the good sound is at. Started out with Audio-Technica AD700s, then flirted back with closed-backs for isolation and more warmth. That clean open sound is unbeatable, though, and now I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650s -- best of both worlds.
