Let's Talk Headphones

[MediumTex]

It seems to me that the overall quality and variety of headphones available has increased a lot in recent years.

Apple's basic earbuds deliver pretty good sound, though they start to hurt my ears after a while.

I just picked up a set of Bose around-the-ear headphones for $100.  (These are not noise canceling headphones.)  So far, I really like them--lightweight, good sound, and comfortable.  The reviews say they are fragile, so I will see how it goes with mine.

Any input on headphone choices from others here?

[AdamA]

It seems to me that the overall quality and variety of headphones available has increased a lot in recent years.

Apple's basic earbuds deliver pretty good sound, though they start to hurt my ears after a while.

I just picked up a set of Bose around-the-ear headphones for $100.  (These are not noise canceling headphones.)  So far, I really like them--lightweight, good sound, and comfortable.  The reviews say they are fragile, so I will see how it goes with mine.

Any input on headphone choices from others here?

I think that noise canceling headphones are a bit of a scam. 

I agree that earbuds start to hurt your ears after a while, and that the around the ear headphones are better.

[dualstow]

One of the reasons I spend so much time here is that I can't hear very well anymore- I kid, I kid.
Well, I really liked my Skullcandy earbuds until I left them in China. I replaced them with Phillips earbuds, which are almost as good. I often listen to HB archives on them after saying 'Goodnight' to the wife.

I really want those Beats by Dr Dre and for one reason only: the cord doesn't tangle.
In the city where I live, I see more and more walkers and joggers with huge headphones that you only used to see in Ben Stiller movies. Fewer earbuds. Is that the case everywhere now?

[KevinW]

I had a pair of Shure earbuds that sounded great and lasted a long time.

I have a pair of Grado SR80i earpads that sound excellent but are falling apart disappointingly quickly.

If you're into this sort of thing, I recommend getting a dedicated headphone amp. It makes a big difference, at least when paired with headphones of the same caliber.

headphone.com is a good retailer for this stuff: http://www.headphone.com/

[MediumTex]

If you're into this sort of thing, I recommend getting a dedicated headphone amp. It makes a big difference, at least when paired with headphones of the same caliber.

One of the things that I really like/need is the ability to just plug it straight into my ipod.

I do, however, have a set of powered Bose speakers with a headphone output and reviewers have said that it works very well with headphones (I haven't tried it yet myself).

[Jake]

I have the  Bose in ear headphones that also have an phone mic and volume control. I've just had to replace them from my last set, which lasted me 3 years and included using them for calls, wearing them to the gym, going rollerblading, dropping them numerous times and otherwise putting them through their paces. I highly recommend them. Not cheap, but the only in-ear headphones that I found which work really well and are very comfortable.

[flyingpylon]

I think that noise canceling headphones are a bit of a scam.

Wear some at an auto race or in a similar environment and you'll become a believer. They really make a difference.

[Tyler]

For noise cancellation, good in-ear headphones actually reduce outside noise far more than the best noise-canceling over-ear headphones. Think of them as earplugs with speakers in them.  When I fly, that's what I always use.

I actually own both the large Beats headphones, and some really expensive Shure SE530 earbuds (didn't pay for either - the benefits of having a good network ).  Both have great sound, and I use them differently. The earbuds are for hiking/travel, while the Beats are for work. The large size is a great social signal in the office when you want to be left alone (and they have excellent bass).  

For decent inexpensive headphones, here's a bit of industry behind-the-curtain info.  It may not still be the case, but just a few years ago I believe both Beats and Skullcandy were produced at the same factory. That doesn't necessarily mean they use the same components, but maybe you can try both and judge for yourself which is the better bang for the buck.

[dualstow]

The large size is a great social signal in the office when you want to be left alone (and they have excellent bass).  

Ah, maybe that's part of the reason why I see so many large headphones on the street. After all, the "clipboard mafia" is out in full force in summer, asking passersby such loaded questions as, "Do you have a minute for the environment?"

Please post if there's anything you didn't like about the Beats.

[Storm]

I picked up a pair of these and they are amazing:

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headp ... index.html

They are in-ear earphones, which I find gives me the best sound quality out of any of the designs.  Because they go directly into your ear canal they can deliver very rich sound with small drivers.

Also, this version, the ATH-CKS55iBK, has a mic and play/pause/volume control buttons on it for iPhone/iPod/iPad.

There is a world of sound difference between these headphones and the white Apple earbuds.  The bass is much deeper, and the highs have more clarity.

I've listened to the Beats by Dr. Dre over-ear headphones, and they have good sound quality, but they're overpriced, in my humble opinion.  $300 is too much, when I can get a pair of Sony studio monitor headphones (the type you see every radio producer wearing in the studio) for around $150, or better yet, these Audio Technica studio monitor headphones for around $120:

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT ... io+monitor

For my money, I think in-ear earbuds are best for portable, on the go listening, and for sitting at home, give me a pair of big cans like the Sony MDR-V600 or the Audio Technica ATH-M50 with a headphone amplifier.

[Tyler]

Please post if there's anything you didn't like about the Beats.

Likes:

1) The design is very attractive. 

2) The general sound quality is quite good.

3) I like how you can swap out the cables if one gets damaged, or if you prefer the cable with built-in mic for taking calls.


Dislikes:

1) The noise cancellation is weak.  I tried them on a plane when I first got them, and found even cheap in-ear earbuds do a much better job of eliminating engine noise.  Could be just a personal preference, but I'm not a big believer in any active noise cancelling system (especially for the added cost).

2) They require batteries not just for noise cancellation, but also for just listening to music.

3) They're expensive.  I have no doubt you can find a similar-quality pair of headphones for cheaper if sound quality is your primary driver in a purchasing decision.

[craigr]

I got tired of earbuds for extended listening last year and got wanted good over-ear headphones because they were less fatiguing. There was a store near me that only sold headphones of all things and I went in there and tried over a dozen types from relatively inexpensive to well over $1000. For my money, it was very hard to beat these ATH-M50 phones from Audio Technica already mentioned:

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT ... ds=ATH-M50

They were not only reasonably priced, but outperformed headphones many times the costs. IMO. They are excellent sounding neutral balance headphones. They sound good with all the music I've tried with them.

For noisy environments (like a plane), or lightweight travel, I prefer the in-ear buds that cancel out noise simply because they are basically ear plugs with speakers built in the way they fit into the ear canal. The noise simply can't make it in so you only hear the music.

[Storm]

The "Beats by Dr. Dre" are great sounding, don't get me wrong, but when a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50 for $122 on Amazon sound better than $300 headphones, you might wonder why.  Basically, I believe you're paying for the brand name and the look.  If being fashionable is important, maybe they are worthwhile.  Personally, once I put on huge cans covering my entire ear I'm not interested in how other people think I look.  These type of headphones are basically saying "I'm in my sound-proof isolation chamber, please leave me alone."

[Jake]

I did really enjoy my over-ear Bose noise cancelling headphones when I had them a while back. But one thing that never worked so well is sleeping on a plane. When you have over-ear headphones and you turn your head, you end up with a headphone in your nose or you bounce off the headrest. You can also get a nasty feedback effect if you happen to rub the noise cancelling microphone that is somewhere on the outer shell. Ouch, that is quite a wake up call!

[dualstow]

... one thing that never worked so well is sleeping on a plane. When you have over-ear headphones and you turn your head, you end up with a headphone in your nose or you bounce off the headrest.

I'm still looking for the right headphones to wear in bed. While awake and upright, I used to wear a bluetooth headset that kind of hooked onto my ear in addition to cupping it. Those plastic hooks are not practical for sleep. The best I can do so far is to have an earbud in one ear and the other ear, naked, to the pillow.

[bigamish]

Love this thread!

As a headphone buff, my personal entry-level faves are:

KOSS KSC-75 :  Stunningly good for the money, and very portable.
http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portab ... B0006B486K
To increase the level of sonic detail, cut a quarter sized hole in the center of each ear-pad with an Exacto knife.

Grado SR-60i: Great bang-for-buck as with the KOSS KSC-75, but even better sound.  Not suitable for outdoor use though.
http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestige-SR ... rado+sr60i

The only downside of both of these is that they are open-backed, meaning that they are not made to block external sound.

My personal favorite is the Grado RS-1, but it is not for everyone.  Makes any string-based music sound like you are a member of the audience, as opposed to listening to a recording through headphones.

http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/796grado/

[Jan Van]

The Beats were a bit too boomy for me when I tried them out a while ago. I'm more of a fan of the Sennheiser sound. I used to have the PX100 which were easy to take along when traveling, and I loved the sound.
I have the audio Technica ATH-ANC7 noise cancelling headphones that I love while travelling, I prefer those to in-ear headphones. Especially on intercontinental flights...

[hoost]

Does anyone have any recommendations for good earbuds for running?  I have the standard-issue apple earbuds now, but they're starting to fall apart and this thread got me thinking of replacing them.  The problem with the apple earbuds is once I start sweating they like to slip out.  I'm not a huge fan of the ones you have to cram into your ear canal, but maybe it's because I wear them wrong.  I generally find basic earplugs to be uncomfortable after a while, and I would think that in-ear canal earbuds would be the same. 

I see the Bose earbuds have the "StayHear" tips; has anyone tried these?

Any insight into the topic would be appreciated.

[MediumTex]

Does anyone have any recommendations for good earbuds for running?  I have the standard-issue apple earbuds now, but they're starting to fall apart and this thread got me thinking of replacing them.  The problem with the apple earbuds is once I start sweating they like to slip out.  I'm not a huge fan of the ones you have to cram into your ear canal, but maybe it's because I wear them wrong.  I generally find basic earplugs to be uncomfortable after a while, and I would think that in-ear canal earbuds would be the same. 

I see the Bose earbuds have the "StayHear" tips; has anyone tried these?

Any insight into the topic would be appreciated.

After buying the Bose over-the-ear headphones, I went back and bought the Bose earbuds, and I have really enjoyed them so far.  They are comfortable, they sound great, and I can use them with my phone and iPod (I got the ones with the built-in mic and other iPod controls).

They stay in the ears and can be worn for long periods comfortably.

The design also seems to make them somewhat moisture resistant if you are sweating a lot (the ear tip design seems to do a good job of keeping the headphones relatively dry).

They also come with a nice case.  I bought them in the Bose store and they said that if I tear them up after the warranty period I can get a new pair for $50, which I thought was kind of cool.