Headphones with built-in MP3 player ?

[MindBuster]

Way back in the 1970's I had a pair of headphones that had built-in Radio, how come in this modern age I cant find a pair with built-in MP3 player ?

MP3 players are so small and cheap that it should be standard, and some headphones like Sennheiser and Beyer's already comes with detachable cables which would make them really portable, not having the cable in the way and the player in the pocket :/

Ofcourse it could be a simple modding project, but anyways, it wonders me I cant find any.

 

[spaceman]

A Sansa clip is so small it could easily be modded into the headband or something if you wanted.

 

[rastaban]

You probably just didn't google the right key words
Koss Tugo

 

[Supercharged_Z06]

Could be done, but most over the ear headphones with detachable cables like Senns and Beyers would also be hard pressed to be driven properly (i.e. worth listening to) without a good headphone amp tossed into the mix as well... and then things start to get a bit awkward/heavy/bulky.

I'd recommend getting something you wouldn't mind hacking up/modding (cutting/splicing a very short cabled 3.5mm connector into and removing the long cord). Hit up Monoprice and order a pair of their $20 headphones (Item #8324). Pretty low impendance (32ohm) and decent specs. A Sansa clip should drive them just fine and should be easy enough to mount to the headband with just a rubberband. Would be cheaper than the above (A Sansa clip refurb typcially goes for $30 or less), and probably sound better to boot. Good luck!

 

[Impulse]

Senn makes many many headphones that aren't hard to drive at all (anything below the HD6xx line really), and even Beyer makes low impedance versions (80 ohm) of many/most of their models... So inadequate amplification isn't exactly an issue.

I think the issue's really that most people are using their phones to play music on the go (possibly with buds, IEM, or even thru BT), wouldn't necessarily care for an all-in-one design, and those that do want a dedicated player usually want one for reasons that wouldn't necessarily mix with an all in one design.

I'd grab a portable pair of cans you like and mod a Clip Zip or an old Creative MuVo unto them. If you don't mind Bluetooth's compression (not a huge deal for portable use IMO), something like the MEElectronics AF32 is worth a look... Doesn't have a built in player but the Bluetooth controls make it easy to interact with a phone/player that you can leave inside your pocket.

I actually gave a pair of those to my sister as a gift... Personally I think they're somewhat overpriced since they're not that much better than the $30 HT-21, so they're really charging a premium for the looks, slightly better build, and BT... But it's not like we're talking Beats/Bose levels of gouging. When I wanna go wireless on the go I just use a BT receiver like the Sony MW600, doesn't get rid of all wires but it's cheaper and more versatile and I can use it with IEM, on ears, etc.

 

[Impulse]

I saw a pair of Sony NWZ-W262 today that reminded me of this thread, not quite what you're looking for tho, they're basically oversized IEM like those Bluetooth ones you see a lot now but with a player on the larger ear stems rather than BT... It's kinda neat tho, if I found it cheap enough I'd probably try them for running, think it's even splash resistant.

 

[rudy]

You know this is a great thread, check this out, we used to see all this stuff in movies like it was science fiction. Total consolidation of devices. Watches that are phones, headphones + mp3 players altogether would be great examples. Yet ironically as the technology now is completely there to do that we have little to none of these available, and the few that are are just crappy. So then the company that makes them doesnt make them better. Then you have all sorts of outside influence that can be killing it. For instance imagine smartphones that take the shape of watches, necklaces, or glasses. Yet even though some of these devices actually exist you couldnt buy them if you wanted too because almost everyone is using one of the big 4 carriers and they wont let you activate the devices.

Then you have the success of apple which everyone is trying to copy where instead of meeting the customer demands you simply tell the customer they are stupid if they want anything other than a single size and shape and config of a device, well that is of course till you come out with the new one after which point you insist that is what they needed. And given their massive profit margins we have seen probably the worst 5 years in product design I have ever witnessed where innovation from a form factor standpoint has simply dropped off a cliff.

I certainly hope that as the years progress people will finally get over the novelty of smartphones and mp3 players and we will see some players start to experiment with form factor more.