Earphones

[Obiwanshinobi]

The thing is, my T10 iRiver (pretty old now, but it's here to stay) survived, but one earphone (I don't recall the manufacturer) looks like the car run over it. Buying another pair seems easier than having it repaired. So, can you recommend any earphones? I'm not into the "earplug" sort (I like, and sometimes must, to hear sounds from the outside). Rubber coating instead of sponge also renders me sceptical, but I'm not gonna be petty about it.

P.S. Already sorted out. For time being, I got some Tesco value Philips HP-HV154 earbuds (so, Audio Technica must wait). The shape is even more practical than the retired pair, the jack oddly right-angled, but they do the job.

[Necronopticous]

How much are you looking to spend?

[Obiwanshinobi]

How much are you looking to spend?

Up to 279 USD (by the today's exchange rate). Unless I messed up the calculation. I don't expect anything on a par with my headphones (doesn't even seem technically possible); just something sturdy and not utterly rubbish.

[Necronopticous]

It sounds like you want "earbud" style headphones, rather than IEMs (In-Ear Monitor headphone/"plug style"). Unfortunately, this seems to be the one style of headphones that just has never really gotten an amazing treatment, and most of the ones you will find tend to be of entirely poor build and audio quality, with the more expensive varieties usually not really representing much at all beyond looks and packaging fluff. I honestly couldn't recommend you any headphones of this style. Perhaps you'd be okay with a portable over-ear solution such as: http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headp ... index.html

I haven't tried this particular model myself, but I have used many other Audio-Technica products and have basically never been given a reason to believe that they could do any wrong.

Edit: Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT ... B000CMTV3I

[Obiwanshinobi]

Audio-Technica is surely a name to remember. Some of their products look right up my alley (if the looks are anything to judge by in case of audio gear). Thanks for the suggestion!

[Necronopticous]

This is the pair I use at home: http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headp ... index.html

Greatest pair of headphones I have ever owned or used, but it didn't sound like you were looking for bulky circumaurals.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Well, at home I'm quite happy with Sennheiser HD 495, but these are not something I'd take outside. Especially at work I need to be a bit stealthy with my listening to the music, also, carrying headphones around to plug them up my GBA SP would kinda get against the very idea of a handheld.

[system11]

I carry Denon AH-A100 around with me, can't stand any kind of in-ear or bud.

[JBC]

I have a friend who's a DJ, which means you probably shouldn't trust his opinion about anything when it comes to sound, but he uses Turtle Beach headphones for everything. I have these cheap Logitechs which have given me quality sound and comfort for half a year, but the comfort is probably going to depend on the shape of your head/ears.

[GaijinPunch]

I have Westone UM2's and I love them almost as much as a well-kept pussy.

[brentsg]

I dig my Shure E5c's but I'm not sure they're even around anymore. I don't use in-ears that much anymore though.

I almost always use B&W P5's now b/c I got tired of having stuff shoved in my ears. The P5's sound good, have extremely low impedance, isolate well, are comfortable, and are small enough to be very portable.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I've been using my Sennheiser PX 100 for about six years. They actually fit on my massive cranium great. I can wear them as long as I want without any pain unlike full sized skull crusher headphones, clip-ons, buds, and in-ears. I've read that the second version is not as good as the first, which sucks because I kind of need a new pair.

I also like the Koss Portapro but it's not nearly as comfortable.

[Ed Oscuro]

I have been using an Audio Technica ATH-A900 for some years now. Nothing on it has broken, unlike my old Sennheisers which had the cups crap out but also shed all the plastic cover bits. The ATH-A900s just have a two-wire design, but with swivel-attached pads underneath so the wire isn't resting on your head.

I do need to replace the pads but it's only about $30 to do. I have been wondering lately if it's starting to crackle at higher volumes, but I think this is actually just a problem with trying to ramp up volume in programs rather than via the device (i.e. ramping up volume in VLC versus using the computer's volume selector).

A bonus is that they're low impedance headphones, only 64 ohm. That means they're much less demanding on many power sources, and that's a Good Thing.

The only downside is that you'll look like a helicopter pilot with them on, just about. They're very much old-fashioned headphones, and they're closed style (so other people don't have to listen to what I'm listening to). I don't use them in public, but I use them almost every day for many hours (oftentimes without anything playing).

[Obiwanshinobi]

I have these cheap Logitechs which have given me quality sound and comfort for half a year, but the comfort is probably going to depend on the shape of your head/ears.

Heh, I heard the shape of one's auricles is rather unique for every person, like fingerprints or something. I doubt it's racial, rather, just personal.
I for one used to dislike any earbuds, until the ones I now need replaced kinda worked with me (5 years ago or so).
Buying this kind of stuff without trying is always going to be risky.

[system11]

I don't use them in public, but I use them almost every day for many hours (oftentimes without anything playing).

They're great for muting the general din in a large office. Our London one (luckily I don't work there) is so bad a friend bought noise cancellers to wear at his desk.

[KBZ]

I've been happy with the Yuin line of earbuds, and head-fi always speaks highly of them

[CMoon]

Reviving this thread to mention I recently picked up the Sennheiser hd 280 pro for home recording, but now find myself listening to almost everything with them. Obviously at $100, they aren't the best, but very solid. Apparently if you have a huge head, these might be slightly small, but the range seems reasonably large for standard human beings (like when I find reviews of ultra light hiking tents from people who way 350 and are 7' tall.) Really surprised that I haven't owned more sets of quality headphones in my life. I guess I've been near broke for most of it, and rarely splurged. Would recommend these as an intermediate entry on the road to audiophile-dom.

edit: Feel like this thread needs pictures...

[KAI]

I just love my Sennheiser hd 202, a friend sold me these for a quarter of it's price cause he thought they were too big, God bless stupidity.

[Ed Oscuro]

I used to use the HD 280 pro. Now I use ATH-A900 cans from Audio-Technica. For daily listening, I wouldn't go back, but the 280 is a good pair. My only real quibble with them is that the plastic shell bits will all break away over time. Both that pair and the ATH-A900 will flake the pleather over time, too, and it's gotten pretty ridiculous with the A900s. It's like having a shaggy dog on your face except instead of fur it's shedding little black bits of plastic, egh. However, the sound is great, and the low current draw lets me plug it into most anything without worry.

Some comments about the 280 pro "sound:"

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30202

[CMoon]

Thinking of headphones, I found there were cheap replacement pads online for my AKG k26p - a nice solution to quality, portable headphones:

[moh]

I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the first physicists to conceive the idea of a practical application of noise cancelling for hi fidelity sound reproduction. He is a retired professor at my university, and mostly spends his time researching efficient ways to achieve near-perferct noise cancelling environments.

anyways, back on topic. we were having a discussion about headphones, and he wanted to take a look at my BOSE QC-15s. He said that they were one of the best pairs of headphones he had ever tried in terms of noise cancelling ability, but it seemed like that was the focus of the product, rather than achieving true reproduction of the sound.

personally I love them because of their durability, but they are a bit out of your budget (and they were out of mine too ).

but to quote that professor..

"got no highs, got no lows, must be BOSE!"

[Obiwanshinobi]

For the price Sennheiser HD 202 fetch, I can't say a bad thing about their sound, but their leads are frail and the ears get hot with 202 on (ventilation always is an issue with "closed" models and I can only recommend those for noisy places). Though if you want punchy explosions and whatnot, 202 work a treat.
After 202, I didn't like HD 495 at first. Took me a while to appreciate how lucky I was to get the latter so cheap when the model wasn't produced anymore. The only downside is that if you are big-headed, you're better off adjusting the arc's length once and for all. Not for the whole family, then, but very comfy for one person forsooth.

I'm not into noise reduction. Matters great deal in studio perhaps, fuck all everywhere else. The environmental sounds are out there to be heard, just like daylight ought to be seen.
Even as noisy an amp as the one in my GBA SP bothers me only for a second or two, then I get on with it.

[Raytrace]

I'm not sure whether you're looking for 'cans' or not, but I have BeyerDynamic DT-990 Pro's, and I really like them.

[Domino]

I'll start that I'm gay for the Grado Labs line of headphones. I still think the SR60i for $80 is a the best bang of your buck headphone in the market.

I use the SR60i for portable gaming and headphone use. The RS2i for my main CD player and amp. I'm thinking about getting different Grados to change up the sound a bit (maybe the PS500).

[louisg]

I also really like my Sennheiser HD280s, but I'm using them for monitoring. The frequency range is pretty nice on them, though-- I was expecting them to be a bit tinnier. I'd even feel comfortable mixing with them. But they do cut out background noise, so they may not be quite what you're looking for.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The original post updated. Apparently what I needed were just about any earbuds that are not plain bad. I'm a portable player addict. The world is a better place now.
I still fancy portable Audio Technica, but can wait.

[speedlolita]

AKG K701 and Beyerdynamic DT880 Premium 600ohm here.

I use Sennheiser MX400 on the go. Lol!

[Raytrace]

Beyerdynamic DT880 Premium 600ohm here.

cool stuff - are they kinda the 'non-monitor' Beyers? - I have 990s and 770s

[speedlolita]

Sort of. They're the middle ground between the 990 and 770. 770 tend to be good for monitoring while 990 have monster bass. To me the 880s are the sweet spot. 600ohm version is considered the best and marketed by Beyer as the "audiophile" version.

[Lordstar]

no mention of Beats by Dre... wow! you call your selves audiophiles?