Headphones

Enough is enough I say! I have dealt with shitty headphones that pain my ears and give me scabs and sores and all manner of unpleasantries for too many years! This is where I put my foot down.

Basically, I'm looking for decent to good sound quality headphones that are also as comfy as a down mattress. I've heard Sennheisers are good quality for a good price, but I want something that is specifically comfortable for loooong periods of time. Any of you have suggestions? My budget is around 100 bucks at the most, though I won't discount something that goes over that.

Also, y'all can discuss headphones in general here if you wish. ^^

I'm guessing by the thread title that you're not interested in earphones? Been a long while since I had a pair of headphones since I'd either end up breaking the joints etc.

What kind of headphone model are you looking for or would prefer.

I don't really like using earbuds while on the computer, not really sure why. I'd prefer over-the-ear.

While we're on the topic of headphones, does anyone here have a view on AKG? I have hardly found any opinions on these on the Internet. I have a ~$20 pair of earbuds by them and to my (well, non-audiophile) ears they sound pretty well. They have also lasted for a year and a half for now, even though the rubber around the plug and the pads wore out quickly. I had to start using them without pads after about two months...

I was just wondering whether I'd get similar sound and durability but with a better build if I were to shell out for a more expensive model.

edited 13th Oct '10 3:00:58 PM by Litis

I just get $5 noise reduction earphones. They work for me.

^^^ I can understand that. For the price range, I think Sony, Techincs or Sennheisers should do alright. Still, I've not looked for a while.

^^ That surprises me, I've not used AKG headphones but their microphones have always been quite sturdy in my experience.

My Sony MDR-CD280s have held up for a good few years. They reduce sound quite nicely, so nearby people can't hear what you're listening to (unless they're inches away).

They're tough but heavy, so they sometimes hurt my ears after long periods of use. I usually don't have them on for that long, though.

Well, since we can discuss about headphones in general...

Let me say that sound quality and frequency range (in reasonable measures, of course) aren't my gripe. The greatest problem about headphones nowadays is that they never seem to last long without having bad contact... Am I the only one who suffers badly from this?

NEO, you're definitely not the only one. My family has stopped buying me anything other than dollar store headphones because, for whatever reason, I seem to have one side of the headphones totally die on me with alarming frequency. And of course those never last long at all.

Seconded Third-ed. The cable joins to the earphones and the connectors, too many times to remember. Oh, and some jacks too.

I've used Shure E2Cs for 3 years now, they're very hardy. Only problem I've had is the cable's come loose on the left one, but it still works (with the odd bit of superglue now and then).

edited 16th Oct '10 3:32:19 AM by yukijin

My current pair is a Philips SBC HP200, which I've been using for about 2 years now. A bit quiet at standard volume, but bass-heavy, which I prefer,

edited 16th Oct '10 6:30:25 AM by DarkDecapodian

I have a pair of Sennheiser H D280s

I got them at Best Buy, at least one of those Best Buys with a music department

They're exactly 100 dollars, and they're by far the best pair of headphones I've ever owned. Durable, exceptional sound quality, noise isolating without the batteries, everything I presume one could want out of a pair of headphones.

edited 19th Oct '10 11:09:55 AM by starkandarcadia

Yeah, I've heard those are pretty much the best bet for my price range, just wanted to get other opinions. They comfy?

They are! Have 'em on for hours at a time, you forget they're there. Or, you just think you're wearing earmuffs indoors.

SO I went to Best Buy to try on headphones, and while I couldn't find the Sennheiser 280 I did try on the 428. They look fairly similar, the 428 is cheaper and generally has weaker reviews, however it's around-the-ear whereas apparently the 280 is on-the-ear. I wouldn't mind paying the extra money, but the 428 was really comfortable and I liked that it didn't press on my ears. Is the 280 flat out better? Does it press a lot?

I got a free pair of headphones with a shirt I bought at Walmart for $10, I originally tried them out thinking they wouldn't be that good, but I was pleasantly surprised, I don't have them with me so I can't check the brand, anyone else know what I'm talking about?

The Sony XB 500's are what I use, they're pretty hench but have absolutely stellar sound and fantastic low ends.

Shit at noise blocking though, gonna wanna get some earbuds (Klipsch Image S4's are fantastic) for public spaces.

Does any manufacturer sell headphones with replaceable jacks? Every pair I've seen has the molded rubber strain-relief and the tiny enameled wires inside the cable. It is nearly impossible to replace the jack. Or, alternately, headphones with a detachable cord. If the cord goes bad, just get any 3.5mm stereo cable to replace it.

I can't stand headphones, they hurt my ears if I use them for more than about 3 minutes. I stick with earbuds now and they work fine, but only when they don't randomly break for no understandable reason. I take great care of my earbuds. They just break sometimes and I can't figure out why. The cord and the buds are undamaged on the outside, they just stop working after a month or two sometimes. I can't figure it out.

See, I'm the opposite. Earbuds either hurt my ears or outright refuse to stay in them.

Of course, these are my headphones. And these.

That sounds like a very niche feature that might be somewhere in the pro market but almost certainly can't exist in the consumer market (because it aims to make you buy more phones as opposed to fixing old ones).

Um, why are you using monitors for everyday listening?

So this is the only pair of AKG phones sold in my to-go store for phones (they don't have any earbuds) and I've been considering to buy them. Problem is, they're expensive as shit and I heard they have fit problems. Blaaah.

edited 14th Nov '11 12:35:11 PM by Litis

a) I like the sound that comes from them.
b) I record my own music too.
c) They're comfy.
e) Why the hell not?

edited 14th Nov '11 1:10:01 PM by 0dd1

I use These, both for everyday listening and monitoring.

They're decent.

What is "Monitoring" in this context?