What do you think of headphones?
Hey MFA,
What do you think of earbuds vs. big cans, or headphones in general?
Posted Apr 25, 2011, 5:22 AM UTC
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Basically, just don't wear PortaPro's regardless of how awesome sounding they are and you should be fine on the fashion front.
On the style/gentleman front, open air cans let everyone around you know what you're listening to, which is frowned upon, so closed ear or buds are probably a better choice.
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I love my portapros, and I don't even consider headphones a fashion related item so I will continue wearing them.
If you're accessorizing with headphones you're more likely a teenage skater. In which case I would suggest Urban Ears Plattans
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Oh yeah, portapros are high quality, if I didn't just buy some Sennheiser 202's I'd consider getting them. They're just the most stereotypical 'ugly' headphones I could think of.
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I'm on my second pair of Technics RP-DJ1200As. My first pair lasted over 10 years with pretty heavy use. They have locking swivels on the ear piece which is where headphones often break, plus you can fold them up which is good for travel. What looks like silver accents in the picture is actually much more muted in person. They're a bit bass heavy, but I really like their sound. They're super sturdy and not nearly as bulky as most other DJ style headphones.
I've also used the Sony MDR V6s pretty extensively and I like them quite a bit. They're probably the most comfortable headphones I've worn, sound pretty true, and look decent. The only flaw is they're a little weakly constructed and the vinyl on the cups flakes off pretty fast.
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Cool. I noticed that both of these headphones have coiled cables. How do they fare when they are on the go?
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They can get a little annoying due to tangling, but I don't mind it. I usually stuff about half the cable in my pocket so it doesn't dangle too much.
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I'm of the opinion that the looks of a pair of headphones doesn't matter, and it is the sound that matters completely (I wear a pair of Etymotic IEM's when out and about, which are very accurate, but don't look good).
I would normally suggest a pair of IEM's for in public. Some closed cans are acceptable though. Denon makes pretty good looking headphones, that are considered very good (I don't like the sound signature personally). I usually like the look of Audio-Technica cans as well.
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earbuds
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They make noise?
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I have PX-100s from Sennheiser:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX-100-Lightweight-Collapsible/dp/B000089GN3
They're small, lightweight, affordable, and sound really good.
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As an audio engineer, I will tell you this: don't buy Monster, or Beats, or Skull Candy. As far as ear buds go, look for some that have rubber ear pieces in different sizes. It's really important that you find sizes that fit your ear, otherwise you'll be screwed. The worst thing about headphones is that you need to try em on; the worst thing is that no stores will let you, and you can't return em. So, if you have some buddies, try theirs on and see how well they rest on your ears. Also, decide if you just want some damn headphones, or if you want them for a purpose (Audiophiles like great sound, Engineers like "true" sound) and get back to us.
Great post.
I have a set of canal phones that sound pretty good, but they sometimes give me ear infection if I wear them for too long.
So I'm thinking of getting some big cans, but the ones that do passive isolation (closed-back) seem quite large in proportion to the head, but maybe that's just me sleep-deprived - causing me to stare for too long giving me distorted perspective.
That's why I'm posting this on MFA - hopefully to get some opinions on the visual side of things.
No, man, cans are huge, but that's part of the fun. If you have problems with canalphones, I would skip ear buds all together. As for a nice pair of closed back, it's all up to you, as per your needs. Like I said, are you just looking for some that look good, sound good, or sound "true". You really have an ass load of choices.
Look is definitely a main factor. Though I'm not sure if I can tell what sounds "true". I can however, tell the difference between a cheap stock model and a good one.
I came a cross a few that I thought looked quite nice, though I have no idea how they're suppose to sound.
This lead me to my next question. The Plattan is on-ear yet claims to be close-back and isolates noise. I thought only over-the-ear can do that, perhaps I've been wrong all along? There are quite a few good-looking on-ear headphone that I've dismissed over fear of sound leak. Maybe I should take a second look?
On ear phones can isolate, but not near as much over-ear. The amount of isolation depends on how well the headphone "fits" on your ear. I would avoid the Urbanears if you're looking for good sound quality. They sound really, really horrible. Also, they're not very comfortable.
The most important question here is: What's your price range? I can offer some in the $100-$200 range, which is what I would recommend spending for a pear of basic, good sounding, good looking headphones.
Phiaton makes some beautiful, great sounding cans for sub $200 prices. The MS400s are gorgeous (kind of look like a cousin of the Beats Studio) and sound as good as they look. * As much as I detest Skullcandy, their new Aviator headphones are stylish and are a HUGE step up from their normal sound quality. Not really worth $150, but if you can get them for a good price, they're sharp. * Klipsh makes a pair called the Image ONE which have classic styling and sound phenomenal (I'm a bit biased, though, I like Klipsh sound). They are on ear, but a bit more portable than full size headphones. * If you like the bold design of DJ headphones, Shure SRH750 are a good pair to check out. These things are bomb proof, too. * Sennheiser makes great quality phones, but I'm not really familiar with their stuff outside of the audiophile line, so I'm just gonna post a link so you can look on your own. * On a different note, check out Grado SR60s. They're significantly cheaper than the previous cans I've listed, they have an old school look and legendary sound in their price range. Bear in mind they are open back headphones, so you won't get much isolation. That said, I've never known a person to regret buying a pair of Grados.
Lastly, please, please, PLEASE avoid buying Monster/Beats and all other Skullcandy headphones like ninjamike said. Seriously. Don't do it.
On ear phones can isolate, but not near as much over-ear. The amount of isolation depends on how well the headphone "fits" (read: sits) on your ear. I would avoid the Urbanears if you're looking for good sound quality. They sound really, really horrible. Also, they're not very comfortable.
The most important question here is: What's your price range? I can offer some in the $100-$200 range, which is what I would recommend spending for a pear of basic, good sounding, good looking headphones.
Phiaton makes some beautiful, great sounding cans for sub $200 prices. The MS400s are gorgeous (kind of look like a cousin of the Beats Studio) and sound as good as they look. * As much as I detest Skullcandy, their new Aviator headphones are stylish and are a HUGE step up from their normal sound quality. Not really worth $150, but if you can get them for a good price, they're sharp. * Klipsh makes a pair called the Image ONE which have classic styling and sound phenomenal (I'm a bit biased, though, I like Klipsh sound). They are on ear, but a bit more portable than full size headphones. * If you like the bold design of DJ headphones, Shure SRH750 are a good pair to check out. These things are bomb proof, too. * Sennheiser makes great quality phones, but I'm not really familiar with their stuff outside of the audiophile line, so I'm just gonna post a link so you can look on your own. * On a different note, check out Grado SR60s. They're significantly cheaper than the previous cans I've listed, they have an old school look and legendary sound in their price range. Bear in mind they are open back headphones, so you won't get much isolation. That said, I've never known a person to regret buying a pair of Grados.
Lastly, please, please, PLEASE avoid buying Monster/Beats and all other Skullcandy headphones like ninjamike said. Seriously. Don't do it.
What about the Grado SR60i? They also have that classic look, though apparently there are some comfort issues when they are new.
As far as those Sonys go, they're true. They're seen as the industry standard by some folks, however, imo, they're ugly. They're also kinda small, like almost on-ear, but I don't think you'll have too much of a problem. Those ATs look ok. For the most part, follow egzwygart's suggestions. You can also browse for headphones here but they don't always have everything. If you don't make music, though, studio cans aren't really a priority for you. Some people like to hear music the way it's supposed to sound, but most people just want it so sound the best. There' also r/audiophile if you want to get into that sort of thing. They seem fairly active.
If you're not doing professional audio work, dont worry yourself about true/reference phones compared to the rest. I would really say just drop as much money as your budget allows on a well reviewed pair of phones. The fashion part is up to you ultimately, there is good advice on that in this thread already.
And if you can, try to listen to as many different kinds of headphones as possible beforehand to get a feel for what you like. Personal preference will outweigh alot of other factors when it comes to headphones and how much you will actually use them in the long run. Since you are putting so much thought into this, you can probably appreciate the fact that getting a decent pair of headphones is, like buying a high quality piece of clothing, ideally a long term investment.
Side note: I find this geeky/tech thread popping up in the middle of r/MFA highly amusing.
I normally agree with the whole "never buy Beats or Skull Candy" sentiment but not all of Monster's headphones are terrible. I know that they are overpriced but, if you snag them on a deal, the Monster Turbines are actually a great sounding pair of earbuds. Certainly not worth the $180 price tag but I've seen them go as low as $80 and, at that point, they're totally worth the price.
I only meant that from an engineer's stand point, tbh. I think Beats look great, but I think their price tag is silly. I've heard they sound good, too but I'm an engineer, I don't care about that...