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Best Private Retreat Using Closed Headphones


To avoid competing with other distractions around the house, I am reconsidering the use of headphones.

For years, I have had a few pairs and headphone amps around: Etymotics, Grados, and Sennheiser 580's to name a few, but rarely used any of them.

I don't like the claustrophic, inside my head feel of the in ear designs, other than maybe on airplanes or my motorbike where I sometimes listen to books on tape.

And I notice that with open phones, they get much louder from the outside than I would like. I don't want to distract anyone, or broadcast whatever I am listening to.

Are there any audiophile, closed headphones that you have tried? Would these permit a bit of escape without bothering or waking anyone else?

Thanks for thoughts.
cwlondon
cwlondon OP
1,198 posts
 

Further to closed headphones, has anyone tried the Phiaton MS 400's?

They were well reviewed in the recent Stereophile summary of recommended components, so I thought I would give them a try.

An interesting style, the headphones have a Ferrari like carbon fiber and red leather finish.

I find them a bit small and more on the ear than around the ear. Also, my wife told me she could hear them, so apparently not 100% closed.

Still, very detailed and revealing, a bit bright at louder volumes to my ear, but makes them nice for low level listening.

Is anyone else familiar with Phiaton?
darkmoebius
899 posts
 
Cwlondon, the best place to ask this question where all the hardcore headphone fanatics hang out...Head-Fi. Their forums are highly active and there a lot of users who have tried nearly every brand, type, and style of headphone ever on the market(or close to).
bongofury
1,160 posts
 
I agree with DMob here. There is a wonderful headphone store in Portland called 32 Ohm. You may wish to call them. A wealth of product and opinion.
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