Urban Art Association

wait til crimbo and wireless/Bluetooth ones will tumble in price. I suppose it depends what you are after.

Where and how do you plan to use them? What source are you using? What music do you listen to? What sort of sound signature do you like (neutral, warm, etc)?

Both are great cans, available at absolute bargain prices now, but whether either is right for you depends on the above.

What do you mean warm, neutral ?

Agree with dot dot, Bose Qc15's. I don't fly anywhere without them !

Meant to say, 550's have fantastic sound - rich and deep BUT they are in no way portable! Too heavy and not isolating really...great if you're listening to music at home... Can't fault them for sound quality.

If you have the opportunity, as with any hi fi/head-fi purchase, I would always suggest you go to a shop and try out some different options (including above and below your current budget). Using different types of music. Not only does it give you an opportunity to hear the headphones in person, but importantly it also means you can check the fit. You may find that some designs just aren't comfortable for you and therefore not really an option. Both the 550s and 702s are renowned for being comfortable, but they do feel quite different on. I personally much prefer the fit of the 702s, but you may feel differently. There are some headphones, including some expensive, great sounding, headphones, which I've put on and just couldn't wear over a prolonged period. The Grado RS1e fall into that category for me.

Also, a key consideration is whether noise leakage is an issue for you? I know you said the primary purpose is home listening, though if you have any intention of using the headphones commuting or want to listen in the same room as other people or where there is any significant ambient noise, the K702s are basically out of the running. Indeed, open back ear phones generally will likely be out of the running. Whilst the K550s aren't particularly practical commuting headphones - long cord, which isn't detachable, and pretty massive - the closed design and reasonable (albeit not great) sound insulation, means that it is at least an option.

Though otherwise, in terms of build, the 702s win hands down for me. They're higher up the AKG range and feel like it in terms of design, features, fit and finish.

As regards sound, again, the 702s sound like the more expensive headphone, which they are. In my experience, the sound is more neutral and balanced, with slightly more detail and a wider soundstage than the 550s. However, that doesn't mean you'll necessarily prefer the sound. In my experience, the 550s have a presentation which is warmer and you may lean towards that.

What I mean by terms like "neutral" and "warm" is a good question. It's a hotly debated topic in hifi circles and there isn't a set definition. Particularly as we all perceive sound slightly differently.

Though, in essence, I would describe a "neutral" sound as one which has essentially a "flat" or "linear" frequency response. Or to put it another way, presents the music as close as possible to the way in which it was originally recorded, without colouring the sound. Generally speaking, audiophiles lean towards a neutral sound. Though, as I've said, that's not for everyone. Neutral equipment will more readily show up the flaws in a bad recording and, moreover, some folks just find the overall presentation a little too clinical.

We're so used to hearing music conveyed with a coloured sound, that when hearing a more neutral presentation it can sound wrong and take some getting used to. Indeed, a lot of the more common/popular mass market stereo equipment, including headphones, are voiced with the bass frequencies pumped up. The all-conquering Beats headphones are a prime example of this. If you're used to that or just like your music bassy, then you may put on a pair of K702s (which are pretty neutral) or even the K550s and feel something is missing. You'll almost certainly discover lots of new detail, and a wide open sound, but could be left asking where the bass has gone. Of course both sets produce good bass, they just don't artificially amp it in quite the same way many other cheaper headphones do.

My definition of a "warm" sound signature is one that promotes the mid range frequencies. Giving a fuller/rounder/warmer sound. Some people might also say that pumping up the bass gives a warmer sound signature too. Alternatively, you may prefer a slightly "brighter" sound signature, where the upper mid and/or lower treble frequencies are promoted. There are plenty of other terms used to describe sound, but that's an essay in itself. Ultimately, it really is all a matter of personal taste and in my view whatever gives you the greatest enjoyment is the best.

Which takes me back to my points of thinking about how and what you want to listen to and then going to try out a few options.

If a full size on-ear headphone, for all round home listening, is what your after, you've definitely narrowed the search down to two very good options. In fact, they are hard to beat at the price. I think the 702s used to be around £400 and got fantastic reviews at full rrp. They're widely available for under £150 now and indeed were only £120 in one of the recent Amazon sales. The comparable headphones from Sennheiser (the HD650s) and Grado (either the s325e or perhaps the RS1e) haven't dropped in price anywhere near as much and are effectively in a completely different price bracket now, which makes the comparison more difficult.

The other thing to bear in mind is that unless you've got a good soundcard/dac in your computer and an up-rated headphone out, you're really not going to get the best out of any set of expensive headphones. Some headphones are harder to drive than others, so you may well see a more pronounced variance using certain sources. I'd therefore very much recommend factoring a headphone amp/dac into the equation. I can give some recommendations on those and also other headphones, if that's of any interest.

I have these too. They are robust, very portable and are especially suitable for electronic music as they were designed through multiple prototype iterations that involved many from the DJ community.

I bought my grado rs2 from eBay as ex-demo, for somewhere close to £300, I reasoned that not many people go and test drive high end headphones, and even if they did they probably had only had a few hours of use in total. They arrived boxed in perfect condition and have never caused me any issues. So there are ways to get them a bit cheaper.

Strangely enough, I won't......

But thanks for the advice, a good forum top tip for everyone me thinks

Iv got a pair of sennheiser HD 25-1 II and the sound is great in them

I use this www.amazon.co.uk/Cambridge-Audio-C10659K-Dac-Magic/dp/B00FSDFF9K/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1441465503&sr=1-5&keywords=dac
when listening to music on my MacBook, can usually pick the up for around £50.00

Some absolutely brilliant input from everybody, thank you so much for making it harder for me lol

Hats off @strangeal for your break down of the requirements needed,

Can i just ask if there is any truth in the breaking in of headphones, i.e. so many hours play before they are at their best ?

or is that just hear say.....boom boom tish!!

Good to see a thread rival the pejac! To confuse you more try the Bowers & Wilkins p7 or p5, great sound , build quality and reviews. If travelling BOSE QC all day long, good sound and drown out all the background noise. Agree don't buy Beats, ever.................

4/6 through the iPad speaker, I'm quite pleased with myself