Closed Back Head Phones for SN2

I use a pair of Audio-technica ATH-A500 with Supernait 2.

Find them comfortable and you have to turn volume up a lot to disturb others in the same room. I think they are discontinued now but might be worth trying to audition some of their newer models, at the time of buying them I preferred them to the next model up.

Getting a lot of enjoyment out of Beyerdynamic T51P Tesla Headphones at the moment - light, comfortable, sound tight and great sound.   Short lead though (and non detachable), so you'd need an extension lead.  Also getting a lot of pleasure from B&W P5 Mk II headphones.

So many headphones available now, that the amount of choice is quite astonishing!  I realised that I have 5 sets of headphones and earphones the other day, including my 22 year old (open back, so 'leaky ') Sennheiser HD580 Precision phones (still sounding good) which I've just replaced the earpads and headband on.  These were the precursors to the 600 and 650s which have had mentions on the forum recently.

Have fun hunting for the ideal pair! 

ATB.  George

Hi Matt, it depends of course what kind of music you enjoy, but for me I use Oppo PM3 closed back headphones with my Supernait 2 and find them very good for late night listening.  They're well made, and comfortable to wear, good sound quality for classical music, and there's little sound leakage.  When I have no concerns with sound escaping and upsetting anyone, then Sennheiser HD800 which are really excellent, but they are open backed, and a lot more expensive.  Good luck and I'll be interested in what you choose.

What's the budget? I used my Beyerdynamic T5p to good effect with the Supernait 1, and they were superb with the headline. SN2 phones amp is somewhere in between but should do them justice

Thanks for the replies so far.  Budget is not fixed but let's say £500/600 top end, though happy to spend less.  I suspect, from others comments, that this may well put me into a headphone category which is too 'good' for the SN2 but let see where this leads me.

Cheers.

Dear Matt,

I got a new pair of Sennheiser HD 600s, which have shown themselves rather wonderful.

Of course they are open backed, but the very large earpads seem to radiate very little. Indeed even closed back headdphones are not silent outside ...

It might be worth a shot at trying these as they are far below your budget, being an old design by now, but old does not mean they are anything but superb for all that.

Just a thought ...

I have never found any closed back headphone that was entirely easy to enjoy ...

ATB from George

Thanks George.

I have been following your thread with the 600's with interest and its one of the reasons I have been thinking about trying some headphones.

The sound leakage issue is important as I don't think I'll be able to use them as intended if they are noisy. 

More food for thought.

Dear Matt,

I do not listen loud as I expect you may have noted over the years, but even taken off while I brew a tea, the HD 600s are virtually inaudible - they only come to life when actually in correct position. Of course you may like more volume, but this much I can say - the HD 600 is so good that there is no temptation to turn up the volume to make up the detail ...

Best wishes from George

I'd agree that as a rule open back phones sound better at a given price than closed, but if you realistically need closed back to listen at all then it's false economy buying 'better' sounding phones that you can't use as much. I have so many more opportunities to listen since I bought the T5p to replace open back Senn HD650 (planes, trains, most often bed with Mrs F asleep!) that they possibly represent my best vfm hifi purchase. T5p can be had <£600 now but if I was looking again I'd be trying the Oppo as well.

B&W P7s are no slouches, and available under £300 now.

I took a different route personally - I love my open-backed Grado SR325e 'phones with an unhealthy passion (and all those HD600 lovers out there should really listen to the Grados some time), so they're my first choice. Then for travelling and when others are around, I bought some B&W P3s which sound fine, fold up neatly and do conference calls too. 

Maybe rather than by one set of 'phones for £500, you could buy two and have the best of both worlds? 

I find the Momentums rather sweeter and easier on the ear (metaphorically) than the HD600s, and just as detailed if not as neutral as 650s, so for a closed-back I'd go for them. I've got the mark 1 though - I think there were some changes for the mark 2.

Interestingly I hated the Momentum 1 but love the Momentum 2 and they are my "on the road" headphone of choice now. Arguably "the best" headphone at their relatively modest price.  Neutral, linear, easy to listen to and literally easy on the ear as well being very comfortable! 

I also listened to the Audeze EL-8 which cost £599. They do both an open back and closed back version. They sounded great but were just too large to consider for portable use and I don't generally listen on headphones at home. I have no idea how they work with an SN2 (I heard them plugged directly into a Chord Hugo TT) but definitely one to check out.

I had the same dilemna. I had HD650's but couldnt listen in the same room as my wife as the sound leakage was too much, both ways - I needed to turn up the SN2 quite load to block out the sound of the TV, which then in turn bothered Mrs H due to big sound leakage!

I also found the HD650s very uncomfortable for my head as they seemed to have a vice like grip which bothered me. Though there are plenty on here that love them and have no issue. Guess Ive just got a funny shaped head 

I then set about finding an alternative closed back option, only for home use, not for taking out and about, and wanted over ear rather than on ear.

I auditioned for several hours at HiFi Lounge down in Bedfordshire and ended up with the    Audeze EL-8 closed back version. They were top end of my budget but they were the best sounding and most comfortable closed back headphones I tried with the SN2. They do seem quite heavy at first, certainly compared to the HD650's but they are so well padded and sound so good that I kind of forget about the weight after a while.

As Steeve above says, if you dont need them to be portable, they are definitely worth a try and work well with the SN2.

That's the issue in a nutshell.  I like the look of the Audeze and I like (no good reason) the idea of flat panel headphones.  Maybe these or the Oppos.  All I need to do now is find some to audition. Thanks all for the advice.