Best closed headphones that fold up?

Sennheiser HD280 ($60~$80):
High and midrange definition very good and smooth, but lack of bass will bother some people. The headbands are very tight when it's brand new, needs a couple hours of being stretched on a stack of CD or books alike to be comfortable.

Sony MDR-V6 ($60~$80):
Very comfortable, has a lot more bass punch than the HD280, but it has a bit more harshness in its detail and definition. Some considers the trebles a bit harsh on these. Overall still very good, I liked it more than the HD280, as the lack of bass on the HD280 really tired me out.

Doesn't seal as well as HD280, but it is much more comfortable, and more compact.

Sony MDR-V600 ($?):
Consumer version of the V6, more comfortable, bigger headbands and earcups.. sound quality suffers a lot. Bloated, muddy bass, and just muddy overall.

Sony MDR-V700 ($120~$150):
Probably the most easily found good, foldable full-size headphone around these days. Sound is not worth its price, just like the MDR-V600 is not either. It's better than V600, but not even as good as the V6 in terms of sound. Looks like it's very well designed, but the hinges that allows the earcups to rotate and fold are known to break after a year to two years of usage.

Ultrasone HFI-650 DVD/Trackmaster ($190~$220):
If you're truly willing to pay for the "best" and "foldable" full-size headphone, these are probably it. Sound is far superior to the above mentioned headphones. DVD edition has massive bass, in fact, some consider too much, but perfect for using in a home theater to listen to movies. Trackmaster is probably more of what you want if you want a balanced sound reproduction.

You didn't mention budget.

The PX200 is the best closed phone if you're on a budget. It sounds rather hollow/flabby and doesn't isolate anywhere near as much as the more expensive closed phones, but they are very portable, closed and cheap, which pretty much should put them at the top of the iPod owner on a budget. My recommendation if your budget is less than $50 and you need the attributes you mentioned.

Lindrone's not commented on the size of some of these phones folded. The HFI-650 for example when folded occupies the space of 12 iPods arranged in a 4 deep by 3 across pile. The HD280 is even bigger. The V700/V600 are slightly smaller when folded but not by much. The V6 is the smallest of the bunch, and qualifies as 'portable' as they just about fit in a large coat pocket.

The V6 is what I would recommend if your budget is below $100. Superior isolation to the PX200, better sound for the most part, more robust but less portable.

The question of folding for portability is only something that can be answered if you own and use the phones for a while. Having owned practically all the phones which will crop up in this thread I'm probably as well placed as anyone to answer this question.

The phone I'd recommend if you're in the Ultrasone price level ($150+) is the Sennheiser HD25-1. It doesn't fold but is actually more portable than the Ultrasone or the Sonys since it's lighter and occupies less cubic volume. The HD25-1 is also a very good match with the iPod's headphone socket amp.

The Sony Eggo D66 is a rather unique phone so I'll refer to it separately. It provides a very clean sound which in conjunction with the iPod's sound may be too lean on the bass. The D66 are interesting as they're closed and don't leak but they are designed to let in outside sound (for safety purposes). I liked them with the iPod but I wouldn't say they're particularly well suited for rock, pop, etc. They're small and the fold-up facility is nice but they're still not pocketable once you fold them up, so they are only as handy in real life as the bigger folding headphones.

Hope that helps.

If PX200 is the size that you'll tolerate.. then there really isn't much of a choice out there.

They're okay... good for the price, but far, far away from the "best closed headphone that fold up"...

Depth:

Wow i didn't know that the PX200's were that small. I might have to look into a pair of those.

Originally posted by thedodgyguy
The V6 is what I would recommend if your budget is below $100. Superior isolation to the PX200, better sound for the most part, more robust but less portable.

These would be my choice.

http://ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=183310#post183310

Never discount the variety of human physiology. He might have Dumbo ears or something ;)

They're OK for me, and for minor pressure-related issues you can always bend the stainless steel part of the headband a bit.

PX200, best fold up headphones.

iPod easily drives em too