Quality/Aesthetic Headphones - Sub $100

T

thesmelliestsock.

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 6, 2003
Messages
1,213
Hey guys. I need help choosing some new headphones that I'll be using with my iRiver. My Sennheiser HD497's are just too bulky to be taking around with me in public. What I'm looking for are quality headphones with good bass, which don't make me look like a robot for $100 or less. No offense to anyone who has HD497's, but no matter who's wearing them, they always look pretty funny :p

Thanks guys
 
My short list of decent looking & sounding portable cans:

Sennheiser
PX100
PX200

AKG
K24P

Beyerdynamic
DT 231

Grado
SR-40 (If you can find them! There is a new version coming out very soon)

Sharp
MD-33

Ety/Shure and the like.
 
hd497-4.jpg

Yea, does look pretty funny ea?

Here's another vote to check out the BeyerDynamic DT231 if you can find them locally. Probably more comfortable too.

~Hope this helps
 
towert7 said:
Yea, does look pretty funny ea?

Here's another vote to check out the BeyerDynamic DT231 if you can find them locally. Probably more comfortable too.

~Hope this helps
Click to expand...

I don't know if that was more sarcasm than anything, I'm not trying to insult people I just have my personal opinion :p

Although I do appreciate all these quick replies with great suggestions. I'm currently looking through all your suggestions and I'll check reviews to see what looks the best for me.

Mister X said:
Are Canal phones an option here?
Click to expand...

Care to elaborate? Not really sure what those are ;)
 
Those look really cool. $150 is over my budget, but I wouldn't mind dishing out another $50 if they were really worth it.

If anyone here has personal experience with it, a few questions:

1) How does it sound at high volume? I have a few different pairs of headphones and my Senn is the only one that can have maxed out volume on my iRiver without distortion.

2) How's the bass? I like a nice, strong yet clean bass when listening to my music. It doesn't have to give me a headache, though.

3) How is it's outside sound insolation? Do outside noises distract, or do they do a good job of keeping them out?

Thanks
 
Canalphones are the same as IEMs. Here are some of them:
http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/in-ear-monitor/

A lower cost alternative would be something like the Shure E2c. I have them and think they are well worth the $60-70 you can often get them for, and are a very good match with my iPod soundwise.


These are generalized from owning the Shure E2c and trying the ER4P along with readings.

1)Don't know

2)The ER6i vs the ER6 is supposed to have more bass.

3)The isolation is the major point of the canalphones. They will block out a good deal of most frequencies, doing better on the higher than the lower. Inside noises are different though. Things like heavy footsteps from running or chewing food are apparant just like with earplugs.
 
$149 is the MSRP.
Average street price = $100
froogle is your Friend here. ;)


1) How does it sound at high volume?
Click to expand...
Clean detailed and accurate... but you got to remember these things are very efficient and they are also jammed into your ears and as such you don't need to crank the volume up very high before they get to loud.

2) How's the bass?
Click to expand...
You are gonna want to amp them because without one you might think they don't have enough bass.
That is one of the caveat's of the ER6i's.

3) How is it's outside sound insolation?
Click to expand...
Outstanding.
You can literally have someone yelling right in your face and not even hear them.
And boy does that piss my girlfriend off. :D

The biggest deal with Canal phones is you got to be able to stand them.... I would defiantly suggest that you check the yellow pages and see if their is a local retailer that will allow to try them out before you buy them.
 
Thanks for answering my questions guys. I will definately look into ER6i's, I've used earbuds before but never anything that really went inside a bit more. I hope they don't irritate me but I doubt they will. I'll have to look into checking them out at retail stores as you suggested. They also seem nice because I can slip one into an ear during class without anyone noticing :D
 
I read a review on the Px100's recently, and they came out very good.Pretty cheap too.

I'm ordering a set today as a matter of fact.

-Larry

·PitBuLL· said:
Hey guys. I need help choosing some new headphones that I'll be using with my iRiver. My Sennheiser HD497's are just too bulky to be taking around with me in public. What I'm looking for are quality headphones with good bass, which don't make me look like a robot for $100 or less. No offense to anyone who has HD497's, but no matter who's wearing them, they always look pretty funny :p

Thanks guys
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top