Topic: Headphones (Read 15011 times)

billiumbean · « **on:** 19 Feb 2009, 11:09 »

Since I haven't seen this type of thread posted in my year or so of being a member here, I figured I'd start it.

I've noticed that the audiophile subsect of music nerddom has a bit of a special place for headphones, and after hearing everybody on this site bicker away lovingly about music, I'd love to know what kind of headphones you use or recommend. Mine suck and have sucked for far too long, and I'm trying to get ideas as to which brands are the best quality, or at least the best value.

Feel free to brag about stereos and sound-systems, too.

De_El · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 11:22 »

I have a pair of Audio Technica Art Monitors that are pretty nice. They can get really loud, the sound is rich and the bass is wonderful. They feel all the more spectacular to me because my other option is listening to music from the speakers of my MacBook Pro and those are pretty sad.

Sennheisers are a touchstone. People will probably post talking about their excellent Sennheisers.

pwhodges · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 11:28 »

The real audiophiles sneer at headphones; my speakers are BBC LS5/9s - the BBC's last in-house monitor design, made for them by Rogers.

For monitoring during recording and editing, I use my old and trusty Sennheiser HD 250 II cans; nearest current equivalent would be the HD 580, I guess.

With my not-an-iPod (iriver H340 with 80GB disk) I use Etymotic ER-4P in-ear monitors; they're pretty damned good.

rynne · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 11:29 »

Quote from: De_El on 19 Feb 2009, 11:22

Sennheisers are a touchstone. People will probably post talking about their excellent Sennheisers.

PXC 250's here. Got ‘em because it can get loud as crap in my office (I work over my lab's pump room) and I wanted some noise-cancellation.

TheFuriousWombat · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 11:42 »

I have a now rather ragged pair of Sony MDR-V600s. They are actually, with my fairly limited experience, rather nice. They get quite loud and have a definite richness and clarity to them that makes them sound more expensive than they actually are. They're quite good and, for my money, a standout in the entry level studio monitor crowd. Only problem is they let out a LOT of sound at high volumes so people around you can hear everything you do if you're not careful. On the plus side, you can crank the volume, take them off,put them on your desk and they sound much better than your standard computer/laptop speaker.

BlahBlah · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 11:48 »

I have a pair of Grado SR-60s that are amazing. Obviously, they're not the kind of thing you would walk around wearing.

TheFuriousWombat · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 12:00 »

From reading up on those just now, they sound awesome! Why are they so cheap if they're so good? Is there horrible hidden flaw or is it just a genuine good deal?

OtterErotic · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 12:02 »

I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT231s that I like for casual listening. Not at ALL transparent, weird stuff happening in the mids, not a lot of extreme lows or highs, but for whatever reason very flattering / listenable, and pretty comfy too.

Dimmukane · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 12:18 »

Man I know I am going to get some flac for this (get it? flac? I should just shoot myself now), but I use a 30$ pair of Sony studio monitor headphones that I picked up at Best Buy, and I have no desire to get anything better. It handles the lows and highs better than any other audio output devices I have, and I've had them for about 5 years or so.

celticgeek · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 12:25 »

I am using a set of JVC HA-M300 headphones that I bought a year or so ago (couple years, maybe). I bought them because I dropped my last set down the stairs, and that just ruined. The new ones work really well, although I am mostly listening to stuff on my computer.

BlahBlah · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 12:27 »

Quote from: TheFuriousWombat on 19 Feb 2009, 12:00

From reading up on those just now, they sound awesome! Why are they so cheap if they're so good? Is there horrible hidden flaw or is it just a genuine good deal?

I haven't noticed any flaws, they've been perfect for me.

Cadeonehalf · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 12:43 »

I managed to win some really nice Sennheiser's at prom a couple years ago, which I love, but for in-ear phones, I really like the sony bass-boosters, mostly because they fit my ear really really well.

Be My Head · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 14:24 »

Sennheiser HD 435 here. I can say they have fantastic balance, detail, and bass response. I highly recommend any of their headphones in your price range.

jimbunny · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 15:39 »

I just get the cheapest things I can at the local pharmacy.

KvP · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 16:16 »

I used to do that, but I always busted my headphones every few months. So I decided to graduate to audiophilia, what with my high-capacity mp3 players, and I got a pair of Sennheiser HD II 250s, same as Paul's. I got them from e-bay and paid 1/3 of Sennheiser's list price. They're great for me for 2 reasons - they are portable despite being fairly high-fidelity, and they have replaceable cords. All my $20 earbuds would invariably get their wires pulled, rendering them useless.

Another thing y'all should consider is the CMoy pocket amp, a make-it-yourself headphone amplifier. It costs about $20-25 to make provided you're careful about it, or you can get them on ebay in a variety of tins for around $35, usually. I got the Penguin mints tin, but the Altoids ones are pretty good too. Anyway, I use them with my headphones and I can definitely notice that the sounds are crisper and less muddy. Retail pocket amps routinely go for $200, but these little babies do their job handily and they're much, much cooler looking and hells of cheaper, obviously. I recommend them to anyone with nice headphones. You will be able to tell the difference between a 192 kbps mp3 and a 256 kbps mp3. The bass is nuts.

Be My Head · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 16:29 »

Hmm, thanks for the suggestion. I've thought about getting a headphone amp for sure, now I know a good way to get a great one for cheap

look out! Ninjas! · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 16:52 »

I have a pair of Koss KSC-75's. They fit over each ear individually, but they're actually rather comfortable once you figure out how to sit them properly.
And the sound is absolutely brilliant for a pair of headphones that cost me $AU25 (+another $25 shipping from Texas to Australia). There's enough bass on the heavier songs to vibrate the damn things.

Only problem is that there's no noise cancellation to speak of, owing to the "over the ear" design.

Rolling20s · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 17:42 »

I too usually lose any and all headphone/earbuds I own, but I've managed to hold on to the buds that came with my iPod for over three years, now, so I've stuck with them. They're meh, I know, but they get the job done for me.

pulpfiction21 · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 19:08 »

Do any of you guys have subs and an amp in your car? it is such a great investment. I know that most people assume only people who listen to hip-hop/rap (which I do listen to hip-hop in the car occasionally and it really is awesome with the bass) have them in their cars but I would never give them up for anything. Everything sounds so much better with them. Jazz, indie, post-rock, classical, folk....everything. I just turn the bass level relatively low (compared to what it would be on for rap or electronica) and it sounds like i'm at a concert. If you do not have any in your car, think about investing, and if you do, what do you all have?

Fishboy · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 19:15 »

Currently i just have a pair of odd, unmarked headphones that i found for my mp3 player, and a pair of pretty decent phillips phones for my computer, they're pretty good, not as much bass as i would like, but they reach the high notes well and provide better than normal fidelity otherwise for something that i paid all of $40 AUD for.

Ideally though I would love to get some Koss PRO4AA, Elega DR-631, or AKG K1000 phones. Sadly only the first may be attainale, unless I stumble upon a pair of the second in a junk shop or online somewhere, the third I can not afford to spend n headphones, but damn they're sexy.

bff · « **Reply #20 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 19:16 »

Quote from: TheFuriousWombat on 19 Feb 2009, 11:42

I have a now rather ragged pair of Sony MDR-V600s. They are actually, with my fairly limited experience, rather nice. They get quite loud and have a definite richness and clarity to them that makes them sound more expensive than they actually are. They're quite good and, for my money, a standout in the entry level studio monitor crowd. Only problem is they let out a LOT of sound at high volumes so people around you can hear everything you do if you're not careful. On the plus side, you can crank the volume, take them off,put them on your desk and they sound much better than your standard computer/laptop speaker.

I use the same at home and am quite satisfied with the quality/expense. I have been using the same set of headphones for 4-5 years now with zero problems, so the durability is there too. I use Sennheiser's at work because they tend to take a lot of abuse and break down after a while, which is where the warranty comes in handy. The sound is a little better than the Sony's, but they are a little tighter fit on the ear which gets on my nerves after 6 hours. I also bought a pair of Skullcandy Hesh for buzzing around with. For 40 bones the sound quality is great, but they are not adjustable, I can not fold up an ear, and the cups are a little to small for my ears. I recently gave those to my son to use.

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via FoxyTunes

20 jazz funk greats · « **Reply #21 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 20:46 »

i used to have a pair of bose around-ear headphones, but they broke and i replaced them with skullcandy lowriders about a year ago and i haven't noticed a very significant difference in sound quallity. the bose ones were sliiightly more comfortable for prolonged listening but that's probably not worth the extra $170 or so.

Melody · « **Reply #22 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 21:12 »

I have a pair of Grado SR-60s that I absolutely love, but the cable is starting to go on me (already been repaired once) so they've been put aside for the moment. However, this isn't a design flaw, just my lack of foresight in taking them everywhere with me and always getting them snagged (cable is for home use, not for walking with, as it is long and thick) on stuff in the subway. Now, I use some Denon in-ears for my iPod, which were decent for $60 CDN, but not as detailed sounding as the AKG in-ears that I picked up for the same price. Sadly, those AKGs got lost, and I'm almost waiting to destroy the Denons so I can justify another pair. I'd like to pick up another set of closed headphones for late night listening at home and recording, probably some Sony or AKGs.

MrBlu · « **Reply #23 on:** 19 Feb 2009, 23:29 »

http://www.psykoaudio.com/

But seriously (that costs more than my GPU, I don't have that kind of scratch, As much as I like a good pair of studio headphones, I just love how those in-ear Sony headphones sound and feel...

el_loco_avs · « **Reply #24 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 01:44 »

I used to have a foldable Sennheiser PX100 headphone set but I killed my third pair this week (i just keep having the wire break after a year or two).

Bought in-ear noise-cancelling buds this time (CX 300-II Precision) . They annoy me

every little tap on the wires you hear loudly. Everything else is well-muted though. Maybe I need to get used to em. The carrying pouch will help me not destroy it.

pwhodges · « **Reply #25 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 01:50 »

Quote from: el_loco_avs on 20 Feb 2009, 01:44

every little tap on the wires you hear loudly.

Do they have a clip to steady the cable on your shirt? (Etymotics come with that.) Another approach is to feed the wires over behind the tops of your ears to damp them, but that's a bit of a knack.

el_loco_avs · « **Reply #26 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 01:52 »

Quote from: pwhodges on 20 Feb 2009, 01:50

Quote from: el_loco_avs on 20 Feb 2009, 01:44
every little tap on the wires you hear loudly.

Do they have a clip to steady the cable on your shirt? (Etymotics come with that.) Another approach is to feed the wires over behind the tops of your ears to damp them, but that's a bit of a knack.

They're assymetric so one side feeds behind my neck already. No clip. It was mostly an issue for when i'm cycling though. Sitting around is alright.

billiumbean · « **Reply #27 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 02:10 »

I had pairs of in-ear Skullcandy headphones a few years ago, but they all seemed to break or vanish within a few weeks each. I figured some god somewhere didn't like me and my decision to buy Skullcandy, so I gave up after the fourth consecutive pair stopped working for no reason.

Other than the omens and, like el_loco_avs said, the loudness of the wire itself, I can't do in-ear headphones because I get way too absorbed in my music as it is, and being completely deaf in a place like, oh, Earth where things like coherency could help a lot with day-to-day things (riding a bike, not getting killed crossing the street, etc.), in-ear headphones are just too much.

Also, to whoever said that audiophiles scoff at headphones, I live with other people a lot. I need a distraction from it all that won't possibly provoke questions like "How come all of your favorite band's lead singers sound like chicks?" I would love to get a stereo for those days where the disruption factor isn't there, like for parties or movies, but that's in the back seat for now.

Daft pun · « **Reply #28 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 04:36 »

I've been listening to AKG's for a few years now. First the K 81's, which I was pretty happy with. They're quite portable, block out a decent amount of outside noise and are pretty good soundwise. After a few years they had to be replaced though, as they were run over by a car (along with yours truly, I blame Mogwai for this).
So now I listen to the K 518's which is basically the same except for a sexy black paintjob.

Also, I've tried to make my own C-Moy but got distracted halfway through.

ZedAvatar · « **Reply #29 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 08:58 »

I picked up a pair of the Bose Tri-port on-ear phones at the CCity liquidation for 5 bucks and damn, those suckers are comfortable. Sound is pretty decent, too!

pat101 · « **Reply #30 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 11:12 »

I got a pair of sennheiser hd 280 pro's for christmast and I love them ever so dearly. Very fine headphones

A Shoggoth on the Roof · « **Reply #31 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 14:39 »

I've got a pair of silver Sennheiser HD 457's at home, but I mostly use a pair of in-ear sony headphones, they're way more portable. Well, right now they're sony, I usually get whatever the cheapest pair is, because they always seem to break after anywhere from a few months to a half a year, maybe more. probably because I carry them around pretty much everywhere.

Beastmouth · « **Reply #32 on:** 20 Feb 2009, 14:44 »

I've got a pair of Sony MDR-V700s I use for DJing and mixing, for listening to my ipod in public i really like the apple headphones, since i can still hear my buddies talking over rock 'n' roll

atimholt · « **Reply #33 on:** 21 Feb 2009, 01:56 »

I've got the Sony MDR V6. The ear cups (or whatever that part is called) are metal on the back. It's nice. More money than I ever thought I was going to spend on headphones, but hey, I wanted sound awesomeness.
So, does anyone happen to know if those "stereo to mono" 3.5mm jack adapters mixes the signal down, or if it just throws out one side? I'm deaf in one ear, so listening to the Beatles (one example) doesn't work at all with headphones. I bought a "mono to stereo", hoping it would work, but the plug didn't quite fit into the socket on my Zune, and it turned out to just throw out the right ear (as a 'mono to stereo,' it split the signal).

thedavo · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Feb 2009, 10:10 »

i've got some shure se210s for my ipod, which are the best in ear headphones i've ever heard. i was using cx300s before i got them, but the shures blow them out the water.

at home if i'm using headphones i've got some grado SR325is, which are incredible.

IronOxide · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Feb 2009, 10:27 »

You see, the problem with Sennheisers is that, though they are among the best sounding headphones on the market, they are made entirely of flimsy plastic, and thus tend to be a little less durable than they should be. I still use them because I tend to be rather careful with them, but it causes a problem if you use them out a lot.

el_loco_avs · « **Reply #36 on:** 23 Feb 2009, 01:39 »

I just suck at keeping the wire in order.

FireAarro · « **Reply #37 on:** 23 Feb 2009, 04:32 »

Quote from: el_loco_avs on 20 Feb 2009, 01:52

Quote from: pwhodges on 20 Feb 2009, 01:50
Quote from: el_loco_avs on 20 Feb 2009, 01:44
every little tap on the wires you hear loudly.

Do they have a clip to steady the cable on your shirt? (Etymotics come with that.) Another approach is to feed the wires over behind the tops of your ears to damp them, but that's a bit of a knack.

They're assymetric so one side feeds behind my neck already. No clip. It was mostly an issue for when i'm cycling though. Sitting around is alright.

Probably not a great idea to be using noise blocking earphones whilst cycling, for safety reasons...

I use Westone UM-2s and they're nice. They're designed to feed over the ears so the tapping isn't much of an issue.

MrBlu · « **Reply #38 on:** 24 Feb 2009, 00:28 »

Oh, I've got a pair of Sony MDR-V150s.

... The Treble sucks.

el_loco_avs · « **Reply #39 on:** 24 Feb 2009, 03:12 »

Quote from: FireAarro on 23 Feb 2009, 04:32

Probably not a great idea to be using noise blocking earphones whilst cycling, for safety reasons...

I use Westone UM-2s and they're nice. They're designed to feed over the ears so the tapping isn't much of an issue.

Oh true, but I live in the Netherlands. 99% of the time I'm on bicycle paths, and I've already gotten used to just looking around more instead of relying on listening. Cars are too quiet here anyway half the time.

Rez · « **Reply #40 on:** 24 Feb 2009, 17:51 »

I have a pair of Shure E2Cs- benefited from a pricing mistake on Amazon and got them for £30. They break often, and I'd be annoyed by that if it weren't for the incredible customer service (always talk to someone straight away, always get a new pair within a working week). Good sound quality too, if you can get them to fit right.

Oh and these Koss ones might look terrible but they are fantastic value for money. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Koss-PortaPro-Quality-Sound-Stereophone/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1235526701&sr=8-1

Fishboy · « **Reply #41 on:** 25 Feb 2009, 01:32 »

Quote from: IronOxide on 22 Feb 2009, 10:27

You see, the problem with Sennheisers is that, though they are among the best sounding headphones on the market, they are made entirely of flimsy plastic, and thus tend to be a little less durable than they should be. I still use them because I tend to be rather careful with them, but it causes a problem if you use them out a lot.

Consumer market. Yeah, their plastic is awful, I only ever owned one pair, they broke within the month. I tend to thrash my headphones, no metter how hard I try to look after them.

I resorted to just buying cheap ones over and over again.

E. Spaceman · « **Reply #42 on:** 25 Feb 2009, 22:33 »

sennheiser cans are not street headphones, when used at home or at work they should last years.

Fishboy · « **Reply #43 on:** 26 Feb 2009, 01:24 »

Quote from: E. Spaceman on 25 Feb 2009, 22:33

sennheiser cans are not street headphones, when used at home or at work they should last years.

Indeed, I only wish I had worked this out earlier.

jeph · « **Reply #44 on:** 26 Feb 2009, 01:43 »

Quote from: pat101 on 20 Feb 2009, 11:12

I got a pair of sennheiser hd 280 pro's for christmast and I love them ever so dearly. Very fine headphones

SENNHEISER REPRAZENT

Honestly, if you're serious about high-quality sound from headphones durability shoud not be a concern. Super-premium audiophile headphones practically have to be used in a vacuum, for christ's sake. I've found Sennheisers to be the perfect compromise between fidelity and durability. I've had the same pair of hd280s for almost five years now and they still sound great.

Catacombs · « **Reply #45 on:** 02 Mar 2009, 17:17 »

For some serious, at-home listening and work on music/video editing I use a pair of Sony MDR7506. They're handle all ranges great and are pretty solid-ly made. I got them for $100 at Guitar Center (i think they're the same price everywhere, but i had a coupon there).

For serious, on-the-go listening I use a pair of Etymotic ER-6i isolator buds. The shape fits my ears perfectly. I originally had a pair of Shure in-ear headphones, but they wouldn't stay in my ears and I hated them. The Etymotic's create a great seal and keep out a lot of outside music (they're perfect for riding on a train). They handle ranges pretty well. My one peeve is that the cord is a little thin, but they came with a little case to keep them in, so that'll help keep them in good shape. There's a clip on them, so when you clip it on your sleeve or coat collar, you don't get as much noise from hitting the cord. I got them for around $68 with shipping from amazon.com.

For everyday, i want to listen to music but want to listen to whats going on around me headphones, I use the iPod earbuds. Actually, i just bought a new pair today (the ones with the remote/mic on the cord) because the ones that originally came with my iPod touch broke. The same thing has happened with all my iPod earbuds actually, the earbud eventually just starts coming apart.

exomni · « **Reply #46 on:** 04 Apr 2009, 08:59 »

Quote from: billiumbean on 19 Feb 2009, 11:09

I've noticed that the audiophile subsect of music nerddom has a bit of a special place for headphones

Ugh! God, I hope not.

Headphones are a blasphemy against sound.

Sound is not something that is directed by laser-beams into your ears, sound is something that fills and pervades an acoustic space.

Headphones are the most bastardized misunderstanding of music and sound imaginable.

Sound should not be felt just through your ears, but through your whole body, it should cascade over your skin, throb your collarbone, massage your gut, and tickle your toes.

Sound should be heard by your whole body, not just your ears.

As something of an audiophile myself, headphones hold a special place in my garbage can.

Avec · « **Reply #47 on:** 04 Apr 2009, 09:02 »

I can't see myself spending more than twenty dollars on headphones. There are clear differences, but I just end up going through headphones in about a month, two tops.

pwhodges · « **Reply #48 on:** 04 Apr 2009, 09:05 »

How nice to have experts on board...

exomni · « **Reply #49 on:** 04 Apr 2009, 09:25 »

Quote from: Be My Head on 19 Feb 2009, 16:29

Hmm, thanks for the suggestion. I've thought about getting a headphone amp for sure, now I know a good way to get a great one for cheap

I'd recommend not using an altoids box.

Headphone amps can cost upwards of $600, but they all have pretty much the same internal components whose value is around $50.

You pay the extra $550 for the engineering time and expertise to get it right.

My comments on headphones being absolute sound blasphemy still stands, that being said, headphones are good tools. I have a pair of Etymotic ER4's, which I bought because I use Ety earplugs at shows, and have always liked them.

If anyone's in the market for headphones, I'd recommend the Ety ER6's, as they can double as a good pair of earplugs, I believe. Ear protection at shows is important (more important than I usually act, as I'm always forgetting my earplugs at home.)

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Author Topic: Headphones (Read 15011 times)

OtterErotic

Rez