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Narrowed it down to two pairs of headphones... PLEASE help me out here!

I have the same Sony's MDR headphones for 15 years now and they still sound OK after all that time. Of course, cosmetically, they look very well used. Accoustically they sound a little tired, but man, this is longevity! So I would lean toward the Sony's. I also have a pair of Sennheiser's.
 
If you want replacement buds, check these out:

Etymotics ER6i: $80 on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Rese...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1243611030&sr=8-2

Shure ER210: $119 on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE210-S...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1243611664&sr=8-2

Skip the Shure ER110 from what I understand they aren't that good. But both are good companies, and each of the two above have their fans. I have the Etys and am happy with them. Excellent noise "isolation" and the sound is pretty good for the money. The Shures are supposed to be pretty good, but it is personal preference. Check out these two. For the money I don't think you can find better buds.
 
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I just re-read your original post. You stated there that you're looking for an around-the-ear headphone for home use. Why settle for a portable can, then? I think it's better to go for a full-sized model that's meant to be used indoors. Grado, in that case, might indeed be a good choice. But, and remember that I'm a nut for the brand, I still think Audio-Technica would be the better choice. Very easy to drive and extremely comfortable. If you're looking for something below $200 that goes around the ears, might I suggest either the ATH-A900 or the ATH-AD700?
 
Soreo said:
Firstly, I'd like to say Thanks alooooot for all of these recommendations; I sort of thought Grado and Senn were as overrated as Bose, but now I know that Grado and Senn are overrated for a reason... :cool:

So far, I've been looking at the Grado Sr60i's, and they look like they're pretty amazing; I'm just sort of paranoid on actually buying them, since I'm not sure if they're the kind of sound I'm looking for. Right now I'm actually looking for audiophilic stores where I can test some out before I buy them.

Also, I'm seriously considering a pair of these as well (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1243443754&sr=8-1), but they look a little too homey, and I want to be able to take them out of the house without people staring at me like I'm weird.

I mean, these Grado Sr60i's... It has rave reviews, and I can use it for years? I mean, I'd believe it, I'm just sort of skeptical about it because they're only $80, you know? Why aren't these more popular? I find it to be sort of ignorant when people go spend tons of money on brands like Bose and Klipsch, etc. now...
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Grado is the way to go. They are _much_ more comfortable than Sennheiser. They are both comparable in terms of quality, but the on-the-ear aspect of the Grado (vs. the cupping-the-ear of the Sennheiser) beats the S's every time----for me that is.

Yes, with either brand, you will hear music as you've never heard it before. Even the SR-60's are the bomb. I own the SR-60's, and the Sennheiser 595's. I much prefer the SR-60's for the comfort. To my picky ears, both meet each other perfectly in terms of sound quality.
 
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coyote23 said:
Yes, with either brand, you will hear music as you've never heard it before. Even the SR-60's are the bomb. I own the SR-60's, and the Sennheiser 595's. I much prefer the SR-60's for the comfort. To my picky ears, both meet each other perfectly in terms of sound quality.
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The Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 will easily trump either headphone, but don't take my word for it.
 
I'd highly recommend a Shure SE110; it's about a third of your budget (half if you don't look hard enough); they offer reasonable sound quality, passive noise isolation, and well they work. They are great for casual listening.
 
miles01110 said:
Don't bother with electronic noise cancellation. Get something like the Sony MDR-V6s.
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These are an excellent choice for someone just moving up to a full headphone who wants to block out outside noise.

The AT ES7's, which I own, are an excellent sounding headphone for the price, but they aren't comfortable for long-term use because they sit on the ear instead of around it.

One thing to decide is whether you want a headphone or IEMs which go in the ears. It's a personal preference.

If you want more information, go to www.head-fi.org. Use the search function because there have been LOTS of beginners asking for recommendations.

Mooch
 
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esaleris said:
I'll add one more to the hat. I personally swear by these - couldn't pry them off my dead hands. Denon AHD-2000.

Based on reviews from head-fi.org, I bought these a a year ago and, in my humble opinion, they sound better than comparable Sennheisers to me. I like closed-cans and the comfort of these guys, plus the very "sweet" highs and pretty decent bass make them. They are literally the only headphones I have ever owned that I can wear for 6 hours a day and not complain.

They are, however, $22 above your price limit.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...c_mri?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

I own the Sennheiser HD-280 Pro and they are great for situations where you want as much sound blocked as possible - planes, etc. But they don't sound as good as my Denons, in my experience. I also compared the Denons to the open cans (I think 595) and preferred the Denons.
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Wow, those Denons look AWESOME. To be honest, I surely wouldn't mind the extra $22.

Bengt77 said:
I just re-read your original post. You stated there that you're looking for an around-the-ear headphone for home use. Why settle for a portable can, then? I think it's better to go for a full-sized model that's meant to be used indoors. Grado, in that case, might indeed be a good choice. But, and remember that I'm a nut for the brand, I still think Audio-Technica would be the better choice. Very easy to drive and extremely comfortable. If you're looking for something below $200 that goes around the ears, might I suggest either the ATH-A900 or the ATH-AD700?
Click to expand...

You're right, and I said home use, but deep down inside I also want to take these headphones out every once in a while.

I'm stuck in a very harsh dilemma, guys... I was set on buying the Grado Sr80i, but after looking at the new posts, I've gone to the unsure side. Do you think I can take Grados out of the house?
 
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No. Well, technically, of course you could. But to drown out the sounds from the outside world you'll want to crank up the volume, meaning everybody, and I mean everybody will hear what you're hearing. I think your choice has been made by esaleris : get the Denon AH-D2000. It's a closed headphone, so it will block the sound way better than any Grado or other open headphone could. Besides, it's said to be a really good headphone. Less easy to drive than a Grado or Audio-Technica, though. That means you might want to get a portable headphone amp someday.
 
Oooooooh! Make sure you never register at Head-Fi. And if you do, never proclaim yourself to be an audiophile, not even a novice. They will eat you for lunch, once you state that you have a Bose headphone. :p

Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3

Never tried Bose myself, so I'll refrain from commenting.
 
Soreo said:
I love my earphones, but I spend waaay too much money replacing my Apple earbuds with new ones every 2-3 months... and not from listening to music loud, either
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Why aren't you getting them replaced? In the UK a product which fails in under 6 months is the fault of the manufacturer instead of the consumer. Isn't there a similar type of consumer protection? I'm getting a new set of my current headphones shipped to me for free right now after the left phone died.

I don't have much to say on the recommendation front because I don't like the style of headphone you're going for but I'd advise buying a pair which come with a decent warranty. My Sennheisers came with 2 years, which is longer than headphones ever seem to last for me so I know I can get them replaced when they next die.
 
I like the Senn. px100 phones quite a bit for home use, but they are open. The px200 phones aren't quite as good (closed phones are typically lower fidelity unless you go up in price), but they are very nice after break-in and do a decent job of keeping out sound if you can get a good seal against your ears.

Neither of those will look too crazy on the street, but the px100s won't be of much use on the subway.

My favorites are a 30 year old pair of Yamaha YH-100s.
 
KingYaba said:
Definitely this. I've been told not to spend too much money on a pair if the headphones if they are to be used unamped. I bought an ATH A700 from Amazon. Great set. Highly recommended.

BOSE? Buy Other Sound Equipment. :)
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Don't mistake the A700 for the AD700, though. The former is closed, the latter is open. The AD700 is also said to be quite a bit better sounding than the A700. Often, it's said that the AD700's sound quality is roughly on par with the A900 (although it does have a different sound signature, due to it's openness).
 
If you already looking at Sennheisers, give the HD25 IIs a try. They are DJ/ Studio HPs. Personally my fav's in the $200 bracket. Though good ATs are thoroughly acceptable. Bose, stay away from unless you are into over pronounced bass.
 
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