Laptop/Mobile Headphones around $150

[board2death986]

I ordered one of the new 15" HP Envy laptops and am looking around for a new set of headphones to go with them, but since this is going to be for work/school/mobile gaming I don't want to wear anything overly bulky or gimmicky. I don't need a microphone but it's ok if it's an inline. Wondering what you guys have as far as opinions.

I was looking at the Skullcandy Roc Nation "Jay Z" branded at BestBuy, I was surprised how comfortable they were with the memory foam, and they looked pretty sleek, but I know there is plenty better out there for the price. Just hoping you guys can shed some light on the lesser known options. Thanks!

 

[spaceman]

Avoid anything with a person's name on it.

Shure, Sennheiser, Audio Technica, Beyerdynamic and Ultrasone are the companies to look at in this range. I think the Shure's might be what you are looking for but any of these brands has a good headphone for you in that price range.

The Shure 940 is out of your budget a bit but is what I like in a premium, portable headphone.

 

[pwnrhasta]

Avoid bose, skullcandy, and the beats...

Since this is for mobile use you would want some closed heaphones.
Take a look at Audio Technica ATH-M50. This headphone is probably your best bet in sound quality under $200, I have been on Head-Fi and been reading countless reviews on them. They retail around $150-$160.

There are two versions.
ATH-M50 has a coiled cable.
ATH-M50s has a straight cable.

 

[Matthew Kane]

Avoid bose, skullcandy, and the beats...

Since this is for mobile use you would want some closed heaphones.
Take a look at Audio Technica ATH-M50. This headphone is probably your best bet in sound quality under $200, I have been on Head-Fi and been reading countless reviews on them. They retail around $150-$160.

There are two versions.
ATH-M50 has a coiled cable.
ATH-M50s has a straight cable.

The ATH-M50 is also a bit on the heavy side, they tend to have a slight neutral + bass bump sound signature. Another headphone I can recommend is the HD25-II's if you spend sometime looking around you can grab one of these for about $150 after a rebate, (Amazon had this not too long ago).

 

[shadow_419]

Avoid bose, skullcandy, and the beats...

...

Bose are great if, and only if you need an active noise cancelling headphone. Otherwise money is better spent elsewhere.

Beats pro are fine if you can get them for 50% or more off from retail. Otherwise they're overpriced.

Skullcandy has a few decent headphones. Nothing great for the money, but decent for the price. The Roc Nation Aviators are one of the decent ones. I've demoed them and they sound decent, but make sure you try them out if you can. It's always better to make sure you like how they sound before you buy if you can.

I love my HD 25-1 II's. They're a great portable headphone for $150-$200 (average retail). If you can try them do so because not everyone finds them comfortable for long use because of the clamping force. I actually love how snug they are, and don't mind the clamp at all. Not everyone's cup of tea though you've been forewarned.

 

[BassTek]

The ATH-M50 is also a bit on the heavy side, they tend to have a slight neutral + bass bump sound signature. Another headphone I can recommend is the HD25-II's if you spend sometime looking around you can grab one of these for about $150 after a rebate, (Amazon had this not too long ago).

I'll second (or third) the HD25-II's. Had mine for close to 6 years and they are still going strong. They are light but surprisingly sturdy and if a part does break you can pretty much replace any part separately. Plus they sound good.

 

[pwnrhasta]

Sennheiser HD25-II's fits on the ear.
Audio Technica ATH-M50's fits around the ear.

 

[Spoonmaster]

I'll be the fourth one to recommend the HD25-II's. I have the HP Envy 14, and they sound great together. They're great headphones for walking around campus(on my ipod or phone) or posting up in the library with my laptop.