Headphone query (part 4 billion)

Hey hey !

I work in quite a busy open plan office which is full of people chittle chattering - which is all fine and good but my job involves watching (and listening) to tv broadcasts and listening very intently for small sound details for quality control, any missed language and all of that.

At the moment we've got AKG 171s which sound wise are really good but are not very isolated so you can hear people talking in the office plus the earcup size is a little small so after a while is quite uncomfortable (we wear them all day).

So .......... headphones: good sound quality (but really doesn't have to be perfectly perfect, not too worried about the nulls), comfortable for really long durations, and most importantly noise isolating/heavily sound attenuated (am I right in thinking noise cancelling 'phones really ain't suitable for this kind of environment and are more to block droney noises). Budget jus' under 200 quid.

Ooh and please don't just suggest good sounding headphones, that really isn't the issue here - hell at home I've got AKG 701s which are ace but would be as useful as a chocolate teapot in this kind of environment. First hand experience with them would be essential as well, so no 'I've heard these are quite good' - this is my job at stake here (erm, probably not but it wouldn't look good if I get it wrong)

Hit me - I need to hear a pin drop even when there's a nuclear holocaust going on outside !

I suppose them moving you to a non-noisy place is not possible? Kinda silly that they put you in an environment like that and expect you to be able to do your job. That'd be like setting up a recording studio under a train track.

although they're a bit old now i use beyerdynamic dt 770 pro and like them.

since getting them 4 or 5 years ago seen more and more pro's use them too.

should add that they're really comfy and go right over the ear. can wear em for hours and hours and not hear any other motherfuckers.

  On 7/25/2012 at 12:36 PM, slightlydrybeans said:

I suppose them moving you to a non-noisy place is not possible? Kinda silly that they put you in an environment like that and expect you to be able to do your job. That'd be like setting up a recording studio under a train track.

Tell me about it but unfortunately moving is not an option (although we've certainly been moved enough times over the last months to fit more departments onto the same floor !).

  On 7/25/2012 at 12:39 PM, sirch said:

although they're a bit old now i use beyerdynamic dt 770 pro and like them.

since getting them 4 or 5 years ago seen more and more pro's use them too.

Old is really not a problem (well unless they don't make them any more !), how well do the bad boys block out noise ?

Have you considered in-ear headphones? I hear they block out outside sounds almost completely. I'm not sure how comfortable they would be over long periods however.

  On 7/25/2012 at 12:48 PM, zkreso said:

I'm not sure how comfortable they would be over long periods however.

Yeah that was my concern too, for travelling to and from word I've got some Sennheiser in-ear earphones which block everything out but after a couple of hours of use my ears get kinda fatigued. Probably the only way you could get ones that could be wearable for hours would be the custom moulded ones but that's a bit over budget.

  On 7/25/2012 at 12:43 PM, mcbpete said:

 

  On 7/25/2012 at 12:39 PM, sirch said:

although they're a bit old now i use beyerdynamic dt 770 pro and like them.

since getting them 4 or 5 years ago seen more and more pro's use them too.

Old is really not a problem (well unless they don't make them any more !), how well do the bad boys block out noise ?

well i think they're good. i can sit here and play a track through the laptop at medium-loud volume, put the TV on mediumish-loud volume and not hear the TV, and i'm pretty much sat right next to it. also got a massive noisy fan on as well. can't hear that either.

but you might wanna try them out first... i don't know how loudly people chatter in your office! and wouldn't want you to get them and then be disappointed. but having said that, i'd recommend them. just don't blame me if you don't like them :)

you can get them for around £100 these days, too. mine have lasted me well.

I use some decent in-ear headphones to block sound, as you guys are suggesting. What's key for me though is I replace the cheap rubber tips they came with with some Comply (that's the brand) foam replacement tips. So it's quite literally like wearing foam earplugs with little headphone drivers in 'em. Pretty good for sound blockage, and cheap (the Comply tips will generally last for about a month of gentle rinsing to keep them clean, and they come in a 3-pack).

After I got used to it, I found them very comfortable to wear (much more comfortable than hard rubber).

I have used DT770 pros and audio-technica ATH-M50. I'd say the M50's were more comfy for long periods as for some reason the felt pads on the DT's made my ears hot. Sound quality wise, the DT's win. Isolation, the DT's win too, but not by much. For a cheaper set of headphones the M50 is still my choice, I use mine as every day headphones now and for mobile recording, makes it so I don't have to listen to people on the bus.

  On 7/25/2012 at 4:56 PM, Audioblysk said:

I have used DT770 pros and audio-technica ATH-M50. I'd say the M50's were more comfy for long periods as for some reason the felt pads on the DT's made my ears hot. Sound quality wise, the DT's win. Isolation, the DT's win too, but not by much. For a cheaper set of headphones the M50 is still my choice, I use mine as every day headphones now and for mobile recording, makes it so I don't have to listen to people on the bus.

the M50's actually seem to be around the same price if not more than the DT 770's...

The Beyerdynamic ones certainly seem to be winning out so far - thanks for the heads up guys, I'll see if I can get a pair to try

  On 7/25/2012 at 5:40 PM, sirch said:

  On 7/25/2012 at 4:56 PM, Audioblysk said:

I have used DT770 pros and audio-technica ATH-M50. I'd say the M50's were more comfy for long periods as for some reason the felt pads on the DT's made my ears hot. Sound quality wise, the DT's win. Isolation, the DT's win too, but not by much. For a cheaper set of headphones the M50 is still my choice, I use mine as every day headphones now and for mobile recording, makes it so I don't have to listen to people on the bus.

 

the M50's actually seem to be around the same price if not more than the DT 770's...

Other way around man, they are around the same price, but you can get the M50's for 159-169$ now and I cannot find the DT's for less than 199$ where I look.

My vote (love these):

Sony MDR-7506 and replace ear pads with Beyerdynamic EDT250 Velour Earcushions

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E

~$100