Best Headphones Under $100 US

I don't make a lot of money but I managed to get into the hi-fi lifestyle and it did not cost a fortune. Everyone knows that Head-Fi is bad for your wallet, which is definitely true and is the reason for my extended absence from those forums (along with World of Warcraft, haha). Anyhow, I thought I'd like to share this little piece with you folks at the MDCF as a sort of "I'm coming back and I'm done pouting" thread. =P

Okay, how I'm going to do this is in four parts separated by type of headphone. If any of you folks have a headphone that you'd like to add to the list, feel free to send a message to kurisu or nismo96.

Let's get started. Please note that all prices here are street prices, not retail. Brick and mortar stores tend to sell these for more than the prices I list. Use Froogle, young Skywalker. eBay is also a good place to find these phones.

::Earbuds (open intra-aural)::

These are the headphones most people think of when thinking of portable audio. Problem is, there is a metric buttload of bad earbuds and people buy them all the time. Fortunately for us, there are a few great earbuds that are not that expensive.

Sennheiser MX400/MX500 - $11-15
These guys are really, really great for the price. Xin Feng raves about these headphones and says they are the best portable phones "anyone can buy." I tend to agree with him; they are simply the best under $20 headphones I have ever heard, period. The MX400 are actually the best to get here because they lack the little attenuator which degrades sound, and they are five dollars cheaper on average. They are harder to find (nigh-impossible in a brick and mortar store) but they are the better of the two. MX500s are still nothing to sneeze about if you can deal with the little volume slider catching on things (which it tends to do). Neither of these earbuds have a lot of bass so if that's the type of sound you are looking for, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Sony MDR-E888LP/SP - $45
To my ears these are the best earbud type headphones under $100, sound quality wise. They have a very nice warm and detailed sound signature with surprisingly lush midrange. They are rather fragile though and tend to start sounding bad after about a year of heavy use, and I find the "neck-chain" type cord to be very annoying as the right-side driver tends to pull out of your ear when being active. They come in the remote-friendly short cord style as well as the normal length cord, which is very convenient for users of MiniDisc.

Audio-Technica ATH-CM3 - $60
To my knowledge, Audiocubes is the only e-tailer that sells these outside of Japan. They have a nice sound to them but lack the bass impact of the E888s. They come in many different colors and it's fairly obvious that Audio-Technica designed these phones for use with iPod/iPod Mini since the colors match up perfectly. Somewhat plasticky highs prevent these from being my favorite earbud headphone (the honors there go to the E888s).


::IEMs/canalphones (closed in-ear)::

Sony MDR-EX71SL - $40
The ubiquitous EX71s... love 'em or hate 'em is the prevailing attitude. Personally, I kinda like these phones. They're totally low-fi... bloated bass and midbass, recessed midrange, exaggerated highs, but they sound "groovy." These are the budget groovalizers of canalphones and it shows in their sound. These phones benefit TREMENDOUSLY from burn-in; I used to hate them to death but I've recently listened to a pair that my best friend Nika has had for over a year and I was shocked at how groovy they sounded. After a good lengthy burn in period, these phones can compete with MD33s and E2cs in the realm of low-priced canalphones. Recommended, but make sure to burn them in for around 100-200 hours before serious listening. Like the MD33s, these do not isolate very well and fit is fairly loose. The annoying "neck-chain" cord comes back again and tends to pull the right-side phone out of one's ear when not using a remote. Also, the supplied extension tends to make the cord fairly long to the point of being difficult to manage. A carrying case/cord wrapper is included with them, fortunately.

Sharp HP-MD33S - $50
Again, the only e-tailers that carry these Japanese-made phones are Audiocubes and bluetin.com. However, these are perhaps the best "overall" canalphones for under $100. The E2cs come close but cannot hold up against the MD33's better sound without the use of EQ. They do not isolate very well just like the EX71s, but they do have a nicer, more detailed sound than the EX71s. These aren't exactly groovalizers but they're fairly close to the EX71's sound signature, with less bass, better mids and they're less bright. Just like the EX71s and it seems all MD-designed phones, they're "neck chain" style which causes problems and the extension cord is far too long. Please note that these phones have a proprietary dual-mono miniplug when used without the extension which is only compatible with Sharp Auvi MD players. Modding them for standard operation is simple enough; search Head-Fi for "MD33 mods."

Shure E2c - $65
These are the some of the best under-100 phones availabile... IF you can EQ them properly. Un-equalized, these phones are terribly dark and muddy with no discernable highs and way too prominent bass. I do not suggest using these with iPods or with any MD unit or DAP that does not have a good parametric EQ. They are extremely well-built; these phones are like tanks. The cord is nearly three times the thickness of standard portable phone cords and the right-angle miniplug is appropriately bulky and tough. There's not much style with these phones; they resemble large, old-fashioned hearing aids when inserted into the ears. Shure has found a wonderful solution to the problems of cable microphonics by wrapping the cord up over top of the ear, preventing vibrations in the cable from traveling up to the earpieces. It really works well actually. These IEMs isolate very well with both the foamies and the silicone sleeves although the foamies do a much better job. The silicone sleeves are rather painful at first, but after using them for a few weeks, the oils in your skin permeates the silicone material and softens it up considerably. At first I wasn't able to use the silicone sleeves but after a few weeks of using them I got to where I liked them better than the foamies.

Etymotic ER-6 (not ER-6i) - $70
I've seen the original version of the ER-6 being sold for this price on the internet several times. Supposedly there's something that makes the original ER-6 worse than the new 6i, but I'm not sure what it is. The ER-6, to me, is the poor man's ER-4P. They don't exactly sound the same... in fact the ER-4P is much, much better, but these phones still have the same Etymotic sound signature... light on the bass, good midrange and fabulously detailed highs. These phones are the exact opposite of the Shures in sound signature. They are not nearly as rugged as the E2cs and more care must be taken when handling them. They come with two types of sleeves, tri-flange silicone and foam. The tri-flange sleeves are automatic ear-destroying torture devices... personally, I can't stand them. The foamies are much better although the tri-flanges isolate better. The foamies tend to muddy the sound a bit, which in this case is good, since the ER-6 has highs and detail to spare. The foamies soften the sound a bit which I liked.

Future Sonics EM3/Sennheiser IE3 - $100
A face only a mother could love... these phones take the ER-4P/S's title for "ugliest IEM ever created." However, as I've had a chance to listen to these at my local musician's store (I was shocked they carried them) I've been firmly convinced that these are the best canalphones ever. They have a sound signature that is a happy medium, to my ears, between the Shure E5c and the Etymotic ER-4S. I'm not shitting you. They sound like super EX71s, or a canalphone version of Beyerdynamic DT440s. They are the king groovalizer of canalphones. Of course, not everyone will like this type of sound but for those that do, these are a great pair of phones. Future Sonics sells them for $99 every so often (retail price is $159) and when they do, scooping up a pair is always a good idea. I'm set to buy myself a pair of these as soon as I get some disposable income. On another note, these seriously are the ugliest phones ever created... painted a neutral beige color throughout with no attempt at style or design; these phones are very obviously designed for stage monitor use. However, they worked wonderfully with my iPod Mini at the musician's store. Also, the ugliness of these phones is a great theft deterrent. XD


::Portable/Clip-on supra-aural::

Koss KSC 60ohm driver - $15-40
Koss makes a whole lot of really bad phones, but they made one driver, the 60 ohm driver used in their KSC-35 and KSC-75 clip on phones, Porta Pro/Sporta Pro and UR40 phones that is really very good. They're slightly on the bass heavy side and there's noticeable rolloff in the treble, but not as bad as Shures. Any of the Koss phones that utilize their 60 ohm driver is always a good budget choice. The ironic thing about this driver is that it becomes a savage beast of impact and roaring lows when amped. There are people who will use these $15 phones with $500 portable amps such as Ray Samuels' SR-71. These phones are seriously incredible for the money especially if you are a basshead. Add an inexpensive cMoy amp to these or one of Xin Feng's Supermini amps, and you've unleashed the beast.

Sennheiser PX100/200 - $50-60
I haven't heard these myself but many others have. The PX100 seems to be the standard for portable-use supra-aural headphones. Compact and foldable with plenty of style, the impressions I get from owners of the PX100 and PX200 are that these are fairly bassy phones. I can't really say much about them as I've never listened to them myself, but they always seem to be an old standby.

::Full-size supra/circum-aural::

Grado SR-60 - $60
The best headphones for rock under $100, period. These are the groovalizers of Grado, being both inexpensive and having the signature Grado rock-friendly sound. At 32 ohms impedance with a fairly high sensitivty, they are some of the best unamped phones available as well. I personally don't have a lot of experience with these cans, but the few times I listened to the pair I bought my brother, I was really impressed with them for alternative rock and classic rock, which is all he listens to. I found them to not be so good for the brighter 80's female vocals, J-Pop and J-Rock I tend to listen to, however--my Beyers toasted them in that aspect.

Audio-Technica ATH-A500 - $99
These cans are 90% of the A900s at 50% of the price. I have not listened to the A900s myself, but that is the typical phrase associated with the A500. These closed full-sized headphones, to my ears, are some of the best headphones you can use unamped. The addition of an amp offers small subtle improvements, nothing like what amping other phones tends to do. I personally don't like the sound signature of these phones, but then again I'm a groovalizer girl, and the A500s are nothing like DT440s.

AKG K240S - $90
The "new groovalizers," these phones have not been listened to by yours truly yet, but I intend to get my hands around a pair as soon as I feasibly can. Owner reports suggest that they have the typical groovalizer sound signature paired with AKG's famous lovely midrange, but slightly rolled off in the treble. These cans are well-made and lightweight, very comfortable even though I'm sure that pleather pads would get annoying after a while on a pair of open headphones. Not sure why AKG didn't use velour pads.

Sony MDR-CD780 - $99
Yet another headphone I once owned briefly. These have an interesting if bright sound signature. They're fairly comfortable and not very heavy either. They have the typical Sony stylish look to them, but the way they stick out makes the attempt at style sort of fall on its face. Anyhow, I found these phones to be reasonably good for industrial and metal but I didn't like how they were for J-Rock/Pop.


Yes, I know that's not very many, but most of these are ones I've either used or ones that are standby recommendations for newcomers into the headphone world.

Anyone want to add to the list, sent chris or nismo or myself a message. I'd rather this thread stay clean; keep additions to the list to PMs please.

Pinned, and welcome back Cori - I missed you. Don't be surprised if I integrate this into our current faq.

It might be because I've been using them for 20 years,but to my ears nothing is better than Koss Porta-Pros. It's a shame most modern portables are too wimpy to drive them properly without an amp. It didn't used to be that way.

The Portapros are an outstanding set of phones. They still hold up to headphones costing more than double their retail value. When I compare my Portapros to the Grado SR60s or Audio Teachnica ATH-AD400s that I own, I honestly think that they're right on par with them.

The only thing that i can say is stay away from those bloody MDR-EX71SL - they are great earphones - they are just not great enough to pay the ridiculous amount of money sony think they're worth - if you get these for a REALLY cheap price then you may as well try them out - under £20 = good.
BUT STAY AWAY FROM THEM STILL (lol) - if you look at the huge amount of people whose earphones broke you will see that these are just not reliable. I was happily listening along about 3 days ago when the right channel just blew and stop working completely - i then went online found even more people who had the same problem (no fix) - and then I phoned up a friend because he's all knowledgable and he told me that another guy in our year had the same friggin problem!!! How unreliable must these headphones be if they break this easily! just stay away please!

Not mentioned on the list are the Panasonic RPHJE50 In-Earphones - i managed to get it on ebay but they will not arrive probably for another 2 weeks - they are actually armed with better specs than the MDR-EX71SL and they're more rare (although they're like hugely popular in japan) - and they cost a bit less.

Still just stay away from thsoe bloody sony's.. ugh... i feel so cheated... £29 gone - for what? two months of average headphones! blah

My friend Nika's EX71s have lasted for nearly two years now, and Damage gave nismo a pair that's also very old... but I have read a lot about Sony phones, not just EX71s, but E888s and other Sony "portable" type earphones breaking easily. They are rather fragile. That's one reason I like the Future Sonics EM3... made as stage monitors, they are built like tanks.

Aeriyn is right, I've got a pair of EX71s and a pair of E868s that have seen a lot of use. The EX71s are over two years old and they've seen over a thousand hours of use. At least 30-40 hours by me so far. My E868s are even older, they're about eight years old give or take, and they've seen thousands of hours of use. In fact I still go to the E868s before I go to any of my other phones, even for home use at times.

There may be build quality issues from time to time, but generally, if you take care of your gear it'll take care of you.

I swear to you that this is not made up but i was talking to a friend of mine at school and he says: "Oh so guess what happened as i was listening to u2 ipod today"
me: "wha?"
"right channel.. gone"
So that's 3/3 people I know whose broke - but his did last a fair'ish' 6months whereas me and the other guy only got just under 2months.
He's going to get his repaired but really I don't want to get mine done because i didn't like them in teh first place that much and i've found the panasonic equivalents (secretly better) at only £18 ebay.
I don't think it's a matter of us being unlucky .. but you guys being lucky.

Also - I took so much care of these earphones .. as well as my friend - we're both pretty sad and are constantly obsessing over like placing our walkmans or woteva down gently and making sure it never gets scratched... ... actually we're really sad :S

I don't blame you for being frustrated. I know that the EX71s are very well known for their frail build quality. I can't tell you why my stuff has lasted this long other than my care of the phones and luck.

I hope you enjoy your Panasonic phones, I tried out a pair a while ago too, but gave them away.

Sorry to disagree with 8track and Nismo, but the Sennheiser PX100s are better in every way than the Portapros.

I have both, and when compared side to side, the Portapros have that flabby bass Aeriyn talks about in cheaper phones and the highs are just not as crisp. While the Koss are a little more comfortable, the plastic assembly that holds the phones tends to break. I've sent back two under the lifetime guarantee, and Koss replaces them uncomplainingly for $6, but it's no fun when those are the portable phones you're carrying.

For the same price, the Sennheisers are the better choice.

And when you ease up to just over $100 (on eBay), the Grado SR 125s are magnificent headphones, far batter than the SR 60 or SR 80, especially if you have a headphone amp with your MD but even if you don't. Totally Poindexter-geek looking but great punch and detail.

To add in my two hundreth of a dollar (whilst waiting for track to transfer):

I'll second the PX100 suggestion. For sub-$50, the PX100s are mighty hard to beat in comfort or sound quality. They're with a friend on the other side of the country now, but from what I remember, the entire sound was rather agreeable (I can't quite term the sound quality now, it's been a long while).

MDR-V6 (MSRP <$80). These phones, much like EX71s, have love them or leave them quality all over it. At the onset, they sound much like EX71s out of the box, big bass, harsh trebles. However, all of these issues sort itself out post burn-in, bass is reduced to managable levels and so is the harshness, and sounds much more accurate to the source recording (as many have pointed out). Though I can't vouch for such claims, and I will not, they sound remarkably clean and balanced, and frankly, I can't find, at the moment, to replace these as my preferred set of cans.

The next model in line is MDR-V9 (7509), they cost about $170 more on average.

MDR-CD580 ($100 MSRP) - These are interesting, in that they work remarkably well for DVD and/or Home Theater, along with Classical/Soundtrack type of tracks. Anything else however, they sound as if something is missing. The cables on the MDR-CD580 and higher can be replaced with third party cables if so desired (though a little alteration might be required).

Technics RP-DJ1200 (Discontinued?) - I happened on these by chance for $40, and they are the best $40 I've spent on a set of headphones. Their sound signature reminds me a bit of V6s with stronger mid-bass... And a very flat soundstage. Oddly enough, those "virtualizer" or "spatializer" 3D gimmicks work very well with these. MSRP was supposedly $120, you might luck out and get them cheap like I did.

As for EX71s, try not to get them tangled up, first and foremost. Don't tug on the cables, tug on the earbuds. The white ones seemingly have somewhat thicker cables than the black ones, and may be slighlty more durable than the ordinary EX71s. They maybe delicate, but with small attention, they should last you a good deal more than six months.

Finally, fun things to try with EX71s:

1. Duct Tape up the three holes on each buds.
2. Use a small needle to make the holes larger on the paper membrane surface.
3. Use the Large Earbuds if you use Medium. Try the Medium if you use the small buds. They change the characteristics quite a bit.
4. If you've lucked into the Apple In-Ear phones (my condolescences), try to large buds with those, they make the In-Ear phones usable, but does nothing for it's claustrophobic sound. It can't be helped.

You are right. Sennheiser phones have better treble responce. I'm still not used to the high frequencys that modern gear is able to reproduce. To me it's distracting at best and painful at worst. Anyting over about 10KC hurts my ears.Sometimes being in a room full of computer moniters that give off a 15KC ring gives me a headache.I like a little high frequency rolloff, but to each his own...8)

I own a pair of Sony MDR-E888LPs. Its true that the quality is good, also due to its slightly bigger diaphram, u can get some more bass out of it. Apart from that i might b getting some PX100s . They're bloody fantastic (Sennheiser PX100s) cos they are so bassy have a good frequency range, which makes them one of the better all round portable headphones.

PX100s rule! kekeke

A little update, I stumbled upon some cheaply priced MX350's (€7) and later on some normally priced MX450's (€15) and couldn't resist 'em.
First a warning, if you have the choice, indeed avoid the 500 or 550's... The volume control even tangled when I just tried to get them out of their pack in the shop (yes, I had asked first if I could see them, befor I started to open a pack )
About the 350/450's:
- both of them are definitly an upgrade from the sony stock'buds (even though the 350's only just, but they are value for money)
- the highs are brilliantly crisp (with both models) but the sharpness with the 350's is almost painfull...some eq'ing is recommendable (see also the next point)

- this still holds true, though especially with the 450's it's nothing a bit of eq'ing can't solve. The 350's lack of bass is a bit more serious, for example, to get anywhere near the bass experience of their bigger brother Senn HD497 they need the 100Hz and the 250Hz to be raised 6db's above the rest at least (with my NH900)
- the 350's come in the asymmetric neck-strap style, the 450's with a symmetrical cord. This mostly depends on taste and habit, but I welcome the oldschool symmetry that doesn't pull the 'buds out of my ears when wearing anything with the slightest hint of a collar
- both models are a bit big. I don't really have any problems, even with the foamy things, but my girlfriend can't get them in without hurting

Well, I haven't tested that much other 'buds, but I'm especially pleased with the 450's! So, if you want a better listening experience than with the sony-stock'buds, but don't want to spend a lot... go for the Senn's. Get the 450's if you can find them, if you can't find 'em grab some 350's for cheap. If you want not just an improvement but something close to perfection, be prepared to spend some real money and have a look at the setups of some of the biggest audiophiles here on MDCF...

Greetings, Volta

I upgraded this winter from my standard Sennheiser MX300's to the Sony MDR-EX71SL. Whil they're admittedly better than the Sennheisers, it still not quite good. I don't know how I can use words to say what I mean, but it boils down to me defenately wanting to try something better (and more expensive). When there's money's I'll be looking at some Shures (3 or 5) or the Etymotic 6i.

They're pretty hard to come by btw here in the Netherlands, I know not of any (web)shops which sell the more audiophile-like phones.

best sub headphones id say are the porta pros, koss 35's, Grado SR60, and the sennheiser HD212pros.



P.S. have any of you tried the sony MDR-XD100/200/300/400?

Couple of Additions:
Sony MDR-XD200: By far, one of the better sub $30 headphones. It outclasses anything that Sony offers at or below $30. Absolutely top of their class with clean SQ and fairly wide soundstage. Its vocals are a bit Babs like in their nasalness and they are quite large to consider for portable use. However, you can do much worse than these. For $30, you can't do much better than these cans.

KOSS 60ohm Series: Lot of folks like the 60ohm (Titanium?) drivers used in various KOSS/RadioShack by KOSS headphones. They include the well reknowned (but stuck in the 80s stylings) Porta Pro, Porta Pro 2, Sporta Pro, KSC-35 and KSC-75, and some RadioShack branded phones (PROKTX1 I think, it's $20 this month).

The cheapest go for $20 (the clip-ons) and are widely considered the best bang for the buck.

My impressions with the Porta Pro 2s were average at best, but the housing used for these vs. Porta Pros/35/75s may make a difference.

If you're the type that's very rough with your gear, you may want to consider the KOSS as your supplier, they're honoring 20+ year old headphones for repair under their program!!!

Panasonic-HJE50s Go Here for my impressions of these, they have replaced the EX71s as my favorite semi-canal buds.

Finally, filing this under surprising synergy: The RH910s have some good synergy with Cresyn earbuds. I have one (iRiver branded that came with the IMP350), and the RH910 sounds pretty nice with these stock buds. You may need some Radio Shack foamies to get proper seal on these however.

I must admit, I'm very dissapointed with Sennheiser MX550 (I try to get the best from their production line of earbuds, but with no luck), and not for the design itself, but for very boomy, colorated and unacceptable sound! If you are serious about listening via portable devices, and serious about quality of the sound, try to avoid this pair of very expensive (for the value it delievers) still poor, poor headphones.

As per suggested I upgraded from some cheap off the shelf earbuds to some
decent Sennheiser Px-100s. They're very comfortable over long periods of
use, a little bassy but nothing U can't adjust from the source. I did try the AKG-K24-P's & they sounded brighter, crisper, & louder. But they looked odd, & I questioned how long they'd really last from any physical use. I got mine at a local
place called HeadRoom http://www.headphone.com/ they specialize in nothing but phones/amps. It was nice to walk in & try out different phones rather than
rely on other peoples tastes. FYI they have price matching & free FedEx shipping( all 50 U.S. on orders > $49 ). I have no affiliation with them, just a satisfied customer.

I want to add one legendary headphone, announced in mid 80's. You find these heaphones in almost every recording studio/broadcasting station in the world (even Frazier wear these ).
Sony MDR-7506, formerly named MDR-V6.

Sony, or more precicely their design or marketing department(?) is tried to replace them many times, but luckily didn't succeed. Finally they named V6's to 7506 and tagged them as Professional Studio Monitor Headphones (which they really are, though) and moved them from consumer electronics to sony's professional gear. They also made more expensive 7509's, but many don't like them like V6/7506.

Personally, I've found two weaknesses of them. At first they sound horrible. Shrilling heights and screaching mids, which may drive you . They are made to last as most professional monitoring phones so drivers are very "strained", and so are sound.... at first. But after couple of months they begin to sound good and after half a year or so they are impeccable. I've been told that some recording engineers wear them year after year and don't want to change them to new ones cause new pair takes too long to sound the same as old pair (or never sound the same?)

Second weakness is when you listen them continously everyday, every other headphone starts to sound bad (maybe except some bright-side phones ie. grado models). In my mind this is very annoying, because I can't enjoy my other headphones at all or I can't enjoy my 7506's. What a pain!

I don't want to write anything about their sound quality. But their build quality is magnificent -sony quality were something (different) in the 80's. Every part of them is replaceable and there's even a blueprint in the box.
For sound quality, it's everyone's own opinion what kind of sound they like. But if you are curious and want to hear how studio technicians/musicians are meant recordings to sound, you may want to try them?

btw, for badly mixed recordings they are not so good, but fortunately many recordings are monitored with them.

Happy listening!

can someone (Damage) tell me about the built quality between the Sony MDRV700DJ and the Technics RP-DJ1200K? the Technics comes with miniplug? what about the Technics impedance, some sites say it's 30ohm others say it's higher. Etronics have both under US$100.

Well, the MDR-V700's usually run for about $150, however, they are incredibly durable, I've had mine for about 2 years now. I use them while I DJ and I've taken them to every show that I've ever done (at least 3 nights a week, where they get drenched in sweat and dropped onto the floor all the time. ) as well as use them as my regular set of headphones, And they still work as just as good as the day I bought them. I can tell you from personal experience that these things can take a beating. As for design, they're extremely flexible and easy to wear comfortably. The leather cup pads make the V700's very easy on your ears too. They also come with a mini-to-quarter inch screw-on adapter, and a nice pearl-color boot/sack to store them in when they're not in use. I really can't say enough good things about them . But I don't have enough experience with the Techics to really say much about them though.

What about the Stanton DJpro 60 in the full size list? I think they sound very good for the price (40 u.s dollars I think)

He he, I'll second that, best bass around - freq. response 3-28000Hz, very good quality have had mine for over 2 years now.

add me to the list. 4/4 . I will ask for a refund.

i love e888s... gonna get around to getting a set of porta-pros sometime

If you want some monitoring cans for home that are fantastically musical with a nice warm low end that still has punch look at the Sony MDR-7506's. I prefer IEM's for truly portable use. But for working at home you can't beat the Sony's for the price. They also have a relatively high Sensitivity and Low Impedance which makes them quite easy to drive by portable units. Comfortable fit, solid construction, the closed ear design also gives you a fair amount of isolation, really letting you get absorbed.

I use these for the Portables and for doing work on My DAW, they really let me know what I've gotten on "tape" after a recording.


YMMV

in my search for good phones throughout the years (the last 11 years or so) i've encountered many brands..and...i did use some cheap stuff for a while...but when you're 13 you're pressed for cash and Sennheiser's weren't exactly cheap back then.

I used to have a nice pair of $89 Technics cans i got at an outlet for $19. I don't remember the model...all i can tell you is it had a funky size adjustment design, which ultimately lead to the death of the cans...the cans were mounted on this band..it was rather large..but, there was this vinyl strap attatched to spring loaded tracks...that's how the size adjustment was done...this broke within months. I starting buying whatever Sony cans i could that were in the $20 range...i thought they sounded pretty good...for a while the tiny little MDR-W08's were my choice on my MZ-E40...i'm still not sure what i was thinking. I used to like the Sony Earbuds if i couldn't get E40's (headphones used to last me 2 months, tops...same with the E40's)..i still think Sony makes both models..in some fashion...the earbuds that came with my PSP are are the same as the $10 ones i was buying about 5 years ago.

Currently..i SWEAR by my Sennheiser HD212Pro's. My first pair of Sennys were HD-202's...which are about $19.99...and are EXCELLENT. Mine however...the solder connection to the right can flaked out after a few months.

I paid $89.99 for my 212's back in 2003...but you can get them for around 60 bucks now. I am happy to report i am on the same pair...although..i've had a few problems..however, these things are designed nicely...and here's why.

For starters...some people might not like the headband..i love it..it's a solid piece of plastic..and after 2 years it's molded to my head. The driver elements detatch from the headband..they clip into a track that's got grooves inside so when you stick them on your head..after you adjust them, they'll sit in place.

After about a year...the connection on one of the cans crapped out...however..these aren't solder connections...the cable uses 1/16" sub-mini mono plugs and jacks. New replacement cable costs around $10 from Sennheiser. However, since i did have a rattling element..i bought a new pair last year...this is where it gets tricky. my original intention was to replace the cable and one element...why just the one? i don't know..cuz the other was sounding fine, so, i swapped leatherette pads and thought i was good to go...well...there was a problem..i had one element that had been broken in for a year..and one that hadn't...it caused for a slight imbalance which just basically annoyed the hell out of me...ultimately...i just kept the cable...i gave the cableless cans to my friend. Ironically tho...the gromit on the plug was defective, and within a few weeks was broken...so...i euventually sat down and forced myself to figure out how to solder this funky wire they used..which i had failed an attempt before..i hit the mark this time, and it's still holding. the element that was bad...for some reason has improved.

so..how do they sound? well..amazing...the bass is nice and punchy..i've actually tickled my inner ear with them..the treble is good and clean..smooth midranges....they have a 15 ft cord..it's made it difficult when going portable..but i've done it.

after almost 3 years..the pads are somewhat pretty worn...but..not totally worn out. they're a bit softer than before..but they've held up REALLY well. my constant flexing of the headband to make it tighter has caused the paint to crack..and the areas that i grab when adjusting the size show wear...but..overall..they've held up well, even to me.

I received an early Christmas present from my brother! Sennheiser HD-201's! Wow! These things sound way better than anything I have. Crisp highs and tight bass. I did a quick test last night and it literally sounds like night and day. I can't beleive these $20 cans sound so good. When I use my old headphones it sounds like I stuffed cotton in my ears compared to these. Love them.

I don't have alot of exposure to cheap headphones but, I've really enjoyed My Grados SR-60's
KOSS KTXPRO1's (Great Sound for under $20) and Sony EX-51's and 71's I really can't tell the difference. (Not pretty decent sound for under $50)

Let me add another vote for Grados; I swear by them. Although I now own the $300 SR-325's, which are absolutely incredible, the SR-60's are one of the most detailed headphones you'll find for the price ($60). They might be a little light on the bass for some, but it's all a matter of taste: I myself greatly prefer to hear every little detail and grain on the master tape as opposed to having ear-shaking bass. YMMV.

any reviews of Sennheiser PMX40 or PMX60?

I like my Sony MDR-150's. Although I have a pretty large music collection I haven't had a lot of experience the more expensive models. Compared to all of the other headphones I've used in the past though I think they sound the best. Really warm, crisp and clear. $20 and well worth it in my opinion.

Aeriyn,
Get your hands on a pair of Equation Audio RS20 (or the newer RS21s)and give them the test.
Im no headphone expert but they blew me away listerning back to a gig I recorded afew days previously. Talk about a sence of space - I was transported back to the gig.
People should know about these cans.

MDR-SA1000 - I've listened to these for about 4 minutes today, total. However, I think they deserve to be on the list. More to come in due time, but the soundstage and the utter detail blows the Grados out of the water.

Danged comfy too.

How would you compare Panasonic RP-HJE50 with Sony MDR-E888?

( the following may cost more than 100USD though: are the expensive ATH-CM7/CM7TI,CM700/CM700TI/EC7/EC700/EC700Ti in another class beyond? Does anybody have experience with any of them? )

for the ease of use and also because of their sociability (they do not lock out external sound...which can be quite useful sometimes) I have just succumbed to the attraction of the Senn PX100...

I am very slowly climbing the ladder in listening experience from Senn MX350 ($7) -> MX 450 ($10) and Panasonic RP-JE50 ($25) now the Senn PX100 ($40)

so far I'm loving them... very easy to forget they are on and very natural sound (a little bit bass heavy but that is ok for me) and so easy as I travel a lot and the foldable design + case just provides the ease of use I had been looking for!

PS: I was in doubt to get the PX200 because of their closed design (less sound leakage in both ways) but then I remembered the reviews on this site and thought: "but hey, at work I mostly listen to quit(er) music and it would actually be good to be able to hear everyone" and then my girlfriend closed the deal by saying she doesn't mind my music coming through if I keep the levels a bit civilised...

any input about Koss SparkPlug or The Plug?

Was quite interested to buy them because of the low pricing, but was not sure if they sound good.

Currently I own a pair of Koss Porta Pro, Sony EX81 (cable rot, so chucked it in my drawer, never to see the light again), ATH-EM5 (on my second pair, the first suffered lose wiring).

I tried a pair of The Plug earphones. They sounded really bad to me. Muffled sound, bloated bass, and no treble to speak of. I was not impressed.

It is the same with me, as long as Koss The Plug are involved. Sound is not even acceptable, and that silicone ear plugs are bad thing to wear. Not to mention crappy plastic tubes that can even injured your ear.

Grado SR60: everyone should own a pair. Pretty accurate across the whole range, with a nice punch and a wide soundstage. They've got good bass response; it's just not as echoey as IEMS.

JVC FX77: a recent addition for me. The SL version are Japan-only, but AudioCubes has them. Cheap, but excellent groovalizers. Fit and seal can be a bit fiddly, but they sit comfortably, and bass response is huge. Mids are just a hair recessed but are clear, as are the upper registers. A bit claustrophobic for classical, but excellent for electronic/rock.

Sony EX90: these singlehandedly make up for the sins of the EX71. Excellent highs and mids, and bass is accurate and tight. A bit pricey but worth it. Isolation is so-so, but they're an easy fit.

Do you mean the MDR-V150? I tried them and they sounded like music was being played inside a tin can. I don't have an audiophile ear but it doesn't take an audiophile ear to realise this. Horrible.

Definetely, both GRADO SR-60 and SENHEISSER PX-100 are the best headphones under 100$.

Recently, the AKG K8DJ are slowly giving other popular under-$100 headphones (eg, SR60/80, PX100, KSC75, V6, etc) a run for their money over at Head-Fi. And, they're pretty picky over there.

Do you mean the K 81 DJ? They are closed, how do they compare to the open grados and ksc75?

Yep. Excuse the typo. You'll have to check out the mega-thread on these headphones vs Grados, PX100, KSC75/35, and others. It's a VERY long read. I think I even remember some selling their SR80 because of them. There's even mention of the MS-1.

Just brought a Sony NW-E005F and running a pair of koss KSC-75 on it, and i gotta tell you i impressed!! i got my 75's last year and i've happy ever since!

I'd like to add the Alessandro MS-1 which might come off better than grado SR-60 and maybe even SR-80 for cheaper if you're from outside of US, and you can get it with 3.5mm minijack too. Grado charge ridiculous price for international buyers through their distribution network.
http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

Just about makes the grade as it's on the 100 USD border. See my post on the Sennheiser PCX 150 Active Noise cancelling phones.


http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=17832

Cheers

-K

i just recently bought a pair of JVC inner ear buds for a spare; the price was right.

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ETBYHK/ref=pd_cp_e_title/105-7889977-5297206)

i (rayzray) must say i am impressed with them and their (5-24,000) frequency range.
they sound AS good as or even bettah than my Sonly equivalents (sp) and my Panasonic ones too.

i gots me a blue/white pair; they also have PINK (whick stink in colour IMO) and i have just bought a white pair for a present/presant/prezint ??SP??.

just a rant to show-off them; this message may self destruct in 6 days. don't say i didn't warn yous.