My normal gear is my UERM running from a UHA-6S.MKII being fed from my computer’s Optical Out. I’m very happy with this setup, but it’s not always practical so I like to have a set of portable headphones as my alternate setup. Especially when doing something like snowboarding. My ears aren’t as good as most of the people on this site so my impressions are fairly simple, but I thought I’d just write up what I thought when trying to compare these headphones. I listened to a headphone for 15-20 minutes going through an album and then switching to another set and listening to the same set of songs. No volume matching took place. I tried to listen at my normal volume which is kind of loud. I would also listen to the UERM to give me a blank slate so to speak. It ended up being Bon Iver – Self Titled, Brand New – Deja Entendu, and Radiohead – Amnesiac.

Sennheiser Momentum

Pros : The build quality of these are good. The leather and metal look nice and it feels pretty solid. The case is pretty nice though fairly large. The locking removable cables are a great feature. The iPhone cable even has a rotating plug so you can have it straight or at 90 degrees or anywhere in between.

Cons: THE FIT! It seems like these were designed without taking into consideration what they’re actually used for. My ears are on the large side so there was no way to fit them in the cups, but I couldn’t really use them as on-ears either. I couldn’t get a seal without actively pushing the cups onto my ears, because they didn’t clamp enough. Also the cup adjustments don’t have any markings so it’s hard to make sure they’re in the same place. The right cup wouldn’t stay in place while I had it on.

Sound: My impressions are with them just sitting on my ears so I don’t know if it’s the actual sound I was supposed to be getting. Overall I don’t think the sound is bad. It’s V-shaped, but not heavily so. I thought these were supposed to have a lot of bass, but I didn’t get that. Mid bass was north of neutral, but not much sub bass. The rest of the range isn’t offensive, but there’s nothing of real quality to speak of. There is almost no soundstage, dynamic range, or detail retrieval.

Verdict: $300 MSRP?! It seems like you can get them for cheaper, but they’re not worth it. Even if the sound matched up the fit would rule them out. The sound is low-fi, the fit is horrible, and they’re big enough to question being a “portable”.  Paying for materials and name I guess.

Beyerdynamic DT1350

Pros: Build quality is great. Lots of range of movement to fit different sizes and everything feels sturdy. The case is soft, but it’s nice and thin and will carry everything you need with the headphones. Good clamp force. I didn’t wear them longer than an hour so I don’t know if it would hurt after awhile though.

Cons: Who put this huge plug on the end? I know they wanted to accommodate a ¼” jack, but it’s silly when you’re using the 1/8”. No removable cable and no iphone controls. The cable length is kind of short as well. The earpads are circular so positioning can be a little tedious. High sensitivity? I really have to crank the volume on these to get them to my normal listening volume.

Sound: I had tried these when they originally came out and ended up being disappointed by the wonky mids (technical term) on the pair I heard. Then all the data came out about production variance and they got crossed off my list. I ended up taking my chances on an updated pair sold by a member here, and I’m fairly impressed. The mids aren’t wonky on these, but the upper mids seem a little recessed. I’m guessing on the range, but they don’t have the presence in the mids that I really like. Bass is a little lacking. It’s there and it’s tight, but it can get lost on some stuff it shouldn’t. Highs are smooth and there’s a fair amount of detail retrieval. There’s a little bit of soundstage. Not much, but just enough to get a left/right pan on them.

Verdict: For the price I got them at (used) I’m fairly impressed. Pretty neutral FR with good detail retrieval, and the fit and finish are nice. They don’t have the leather the Momentums do, but they have just as much metal. I’m a little worried about the lack of bass especially when I go snowboarding, but I had no issues listening to these for awhile. I had to force myself to listen to the Momentums after the first set. I have no idea if they are still a crap shoot on getting a good one or not. I can’t imagine that changed though.

V-Moda M80

Pros: Again the build quality is great. They don’t use leather like the others, but it’s still well put together and very sturdy. The headband seems nearly indestructible. The case is hard and they tried to keep it compact. Removable cables with iPhone controls, and they’re made out of Kevlar or something. They’re less likely to kink and tangle, though they aren’t locking like the Sennheisers. The ear pads aren’t circular! These are pretty easy for me to fit on my ear and not have to worry about positioning.

Cons: There is not enough clamp force for me. While being comfortable the second I move my head they move. When I’m snowboarding I constantly have to adjust them cause they get moved out of place. The cups are vented so they don’t block out a lot of noise.

Sound: These are tilted up in the bass a fair amount. If I’m listening in a quiet room I actually have to take some time to get used to it. The bass itself is good quality. It’s not loose or rubbery, but it does bleed into the lower mids a little bit. Past that the mids are nice, and the highs are a little lacking for me. There’s just not enough air up there for my tastes. (A lot of stuff that makes Purrin’s ears bleed I’m okay with for the most part.) Detail retrieval is good and there’s a good bit of soundstage for a portable. The dynamic range is a little small though.

Verdict: Overall I think these are okay. It takes a little getting used to, but if I’m wearing them outside (or snowboarding) they actually work really well. The lack of clamping force might be good for other people, but it does sour my experience a bit. I do wish V-Moda would make something more neutral. They seem to know what they’re doing so if they were to go for it I think it would be a hit.

Conclusion

The Sennheisers are going back where they came from. I’m keeping the Beyers and hoping they work for me while snowboarding. I’ll probably hold on to the V-Moda’s as well. They’re a known quantity for me and they weren’t too expensive when I got them. Ideally I’d have a mix between them, both in their sound and build. Beyer sound (with a little more bass) in a V-Moda shell (or at least with removable cables). Hopefully this helps someone if they’re looking at portables. Otherwise it was kind of fun to do my first real comparison. Enjoy!