The Almighty "best Headphones Under $100" Thread

[LonelyMachines]

Grado SR60: everyone should own a pair. Pretty accurate across the whole range, with a nice punch and a wide soundstage. They've got good bass response; it's just not as echoey as IEMS.

JVC FX77: a recent addition for me. The SL version are Japan-only, but AudioCubes has them. Cheap, but excellent groovalizers. Fit and seal can be a bit fiddly, but they sit comfortably, and bass response is huge. Mids are just a hair recessed but are clear, as are the upper registers. A bit claustrophobic for classical, but excellent for electronic/rock.

Sony EX90: these singlehandedly make up for the sins of the EX71. Excellent highs and mids, and bass is accurate and tight. A bit pricey but worth it. Isolation is so-so, but they're an easy fit.

[Spare Tire]

I like my Sony MDR-150's. Although I have a pretty large music collection I haven't had a lot of experience the more expensive models. Compared to all of the other headphones I've used in the past though I think they sound the best. Really warm, crisp and clear. $20 and well worth it in my opinion.

Do you mean the MDR-V150? I tried them and they sounded like music was being played inside a tin can. I don't have an audiophile ear but it doesn't take an audiophile ear to realise this. Horrible.

Edited August 3, 2006 by Spare Tire

[dogville]

Definetely, both GRADO SR-60 and SENHEISSER PX-100 are the best headphones under 100$.

[jaylen]

Recently, the AKG K8DJ are slowly giving other popular under-$100 headphones (eg, SR60/80, PX100, KSC75, V6, etc) a run for their money over at Head-Fi. And, they're pretty picky over there.

[Spare Tire]

Do you mean the K 81 DJ? They are closed, how do they compare to the open grados and ksc75?

[jaylen]

Do you mean the K 81 DJ? They are closed, how do they compare to the open grados and ksc75?

Yep. Excuse the typo. You'll have to check out the mega-thread on these headphones vs Grados, PX100, KSC75/35, and others. It's a VERY long read. I think I even remember some selling their SR80 because of them. There's even mention of the MS-1.

[Blacky]

Just brought a Sony NW-E005F and running a pair of koss KSC-75 on it, and i gotta tell you i impressed!! i got my 75's last year and i've happy ever since!

[Spare Tire]

I'd like to add the Alessandro MS-1 which might come off better than grado SR-60 and maybe even SR-80 for cheaper if you're from outside of US, and you can get it with 3.5mm minijack too. Grado charge ridiculous price for international buyers through their distribution network.

http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

[1kyle]

Just about makes the grade as it's on the 100 USD border. See my post on the Sennheiser PCX 150 Active Noise cancelling phones.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=17832

Cheers

-K

[rayzray]

i just recently bought a pair of JVC inner ear buds for a spare; the price was right.

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ETBYHK/ref=pd_cp_e_title/105-7889977-5297206)

i (rayzray) must say i am impressed with them and their (5-24,000) frequency range.

they sound AS good as or even bettah than my Sonly equivalents (sp) and my Panasonic ones too.

i gots me a blue/white pair; they also have PINK (whick stink in colour IMO) and i have just bought a white pair for a present/presant/prezint ??SP??.

just a rant to show-off them; this message may self destruct in 6 days. don't say i didn't warn yous.

Edited November 30, 2006 by rayzray

[Sparda]

Anybody know anything about the Audio Technica ATH-EM7's? Need new phones, keepin' my mind open here.

[Fat Tires]

I used to have a pair of them. They're very good at reproducing the highs, but they don't have strong bass. They're great phones for someone who listens to a lot of classical music or female vocals.

[Sparda]

And I thought I found the perfect pair, even the price was right for me. Need something with strogn bass yet maintaining the highs. Maybe I should just buy the PX-100's? But I don't like headbands...

[Midnght]

And I thought I found the perfect pair, even the price was right for me. Need something with strogn bass yet maintaining the highs. Maybe I should just buy the PX-100's? But I don't like headbands...

So where do these rate?

I won both and lvoe em no issues clear etc. but for those with a more discerning ear let me know.

I mean these are cheap now

$9.99

h.ear™ Stereo HeadphonesMDR-J10/BLUE

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP....s_portable_clip

These have a new updated version but i own this old style.

Sony MDRQ33LP Open Air W.EAR Headphones, Think I paid $35 at the time.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRQ33LP-Open-W...p;s=electronics

[scarletspeedster3]

Ok I know I'm a fish outta water here but, I need some help im trying to get head some new headphones. I kept rolling on the cord of my old ones or ill get my wheelchair over the cord and it pulls the cord and now there is a loose connection I think. I really need to get some idea's on new head phones that are under 100$ prefferably 60$ emphasis on 60$. This definatly falls under the thread catagory. I dont know as much as you guy's do I can tell by reading the thread. But Im mostly going for clarity and strong bass. I listen to strong bass music but classical and female vocal music as well as, well everything and anything really. I have a disability and I cant use these tiny headsets that are popular now plus I like the sound and comfort from the headphones that go over your ears i think they're called circum-aural. The only thing I plan on using it for is music, video games and movies on my desktop. Also I like the idea of having some that have some digital surround sound i think thats what its called. I have seen some that can do all these thing for under a hundred on newegg.com but i dont know anything about it to have faith in my ability to judge on these matters.

So the check list is pretty much:

1. Clarity and good bass i don't need to peel the paint off the walls (lol)

2. Big comfortable ones the kind that cover your entire ear

they have to be over the head easy to put on because i

cant reach my neck really well. I have a bone disorder making that difficult

3. surround or something like it So I can hear someone sneaking behind me on Quake III

PS They need to be kinda durable i take care of them but Im accident proned and please don't call me a noob or pick on me. Thanks

Edited January 17, 2007 by scarletspeedster3

[cochra1]

I've just purchased a nice pair of Sennheiser CX300 phones for a measley 8 quid (new/boxed!) on ebay.

Never heard them, but read some good reviews.

One review (C/Net) gave them a poor-looking 7.3/10 and said the following:

Good points: good solid sound quality, lightweight, perfect fit, significant isolation from outside sounds.

Bad points: The Sennheiser CX 300 doesn't come with a travel pouch or any other accessories.

I mean, for f*<^ sake, travel pouch! Accesories! If that's their only gripe I reckon I'm on to a good thing with these muthas.

Does anyone out there in minidisc land have any experience of these in-ear babies?

Edited February 12, 2007 by KanakoAndTheNumbSkulls

[Fat Tires]

I've just purchased a nice pair of Sennheiser CX300 phones for a measley 8 quid (new/boxed!) on ebay.

Never heard them, but read some good reviews.

Is there anyone out there in minidisc land with experience of these in-ear babies?

Be wary. A lot of CX300s on eBay are counterfeit and do not have the same sound quality of the actual Sennheisers.

By the way, this information anecdotal. I have a legitimate pair of CX300s that were purchased from a source other than eBay.

[cochra1]

Be wary. A lot of CX300s on eBay are counterfeit and do not have the same sound quality of the actual Sennheisers.

By the way, this information anecdotal. I have a legitimate pair of CX300s that were purchased from a source other than eBay.

Thanks man, that's interesting (and slightly disturbing) information.

I did buy them from a shop rather than an individual seller, and the shop has an excellent customer satisfaction rating. But all the same it does seem a bit too good to be true so I'll be wary. Actually - CORRECTION! It was Amazon, not ebay.

Edited February 12, 2007 by KanakoAndTheNumbSkulls

[GQ Smooth]

Thanks man, that's interesting (and slightly disturbing) information.

I did buy them from a shop rather than an individual seller, and the shop has an excellent customer satisfaction rating. But all the same it does seem a bit too good to be true so I'll be wary. Actually - CORRECTION! It was Amazon, not ebay.

I have a pair of these and think they are the LICK. I got mine from Amazon, have had them for 2 years, still going strong. Enjoy

[cochra1]

Well, I got my CX300s from the seller on Amazon, and I reckon they probably are fakes cos they really don't sounds that nice. The bass is muddy and the top end trails off quite dramatically at around 8-10k. I've heard too many good things about these phones to believe these are the real deal. I'll get some genuine ones - or maybe something else - but I'll spend a reasonable amount this time.

Oh well. Eight quid. They say if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

[GQ Smooth]

Well, I got my CX300s from the seller on Amazon, and I reckon they probably are fakes cos they really don't sounds that nice. The bass is muddy and the top end trails off quite dramatically at around 8-10k. I've heard too many good things about these phones to believe these are the real deal. I'll get some genuine ones - or maybe something else - but I'll spend a reasonable amount this time.

Oh well. Eight quid. They say if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Kanako, sorry to hear that. I got mine from Amazon, but mine cost me 25 quid, and directly from Amazon, not a third party seller.

[King Ghidora]

They've been mentioned before but nothing compares to Sony MDR-7506 that I've ever heard. I actually have the MDR-V6 which was the original name of these phones. They discontinued them once then got so many complaints they brought back the MDR-V6 but it was not the same headphones as the original. That ticked people off even worse.

Eventually Sony got their act together and released the original MDR-V6 under a new name so that no one would confuse them with the cheap imitations Sony had tried to pawn off on their customers. So the name MDR-7506 was born but it was the same phones as the original MDR-V6.

These phones are comfortable,durable (mine are at least 17 years old and still sound great) and best of all of course they sound great. They actually have bass that sounds like bass instead of cheap imitation bass like you see on most phones. The upper end is clear and life like. They are just incredibly good phones.

There are some other phones that sound great but not in the same way. Sennheisers have incredible detail for example but IMO (which is shared by many people) they just don't reproduce bass sounds in a natural way.

The MDR-V6 / MDR-7506 is an industry standard. They are the favorite of studio engineers by all accounts I've ever seen. They've been called the best phones ever made by more than one person. I'm know that other phones have their fans but I've listened to what were said to be the best Senn's at the time I listened to them and they didn't compare IMO.

And they do sell for less than $100. You can even get replacement pads for them after they wear out. You can expect to keep these phones for years to come. Their one drawback IMO is that they aren't great for mobile use but back when these were developed there was no use for mobile phones because the were designed before Walkman type devices became popular.

[GQ Smooth]

They've been mentioned before but nothing compares to Sony MDR-7506 that I've ever heard. I actually have the MDR-V6 which was the original name of these phones. They discontinued them once then got so many complaints they brought back the MDR-V6 but it was not the same headphones as the original. That ticked people off even worse.

Eventually Sony got their act together and released the original MDR-V6 under a new name so that no one would confuse them with the cheap imitations Sony had tried to pawn off on their customers. So the name MDR-7506 was born but it was the same phones as the original MDR-V6.

These phones are comfortable,durable (mine are at least 17 years old and still sound great) and best of all of course they sound great. They actually have bass that sounds like bass instead of cheap imitation bass like you see on most phones. The upper end is clear and life like. They are just incredibly good phones.

There are some other phones that sound great but not in the same way. Sennheisers have incredible detail for example but IMO (which is shared by many people) they just don't reproduce bass sounds in a natural way.

The MDR-V6 / MDR-7506 is an industry standard. They are the favorite of studio engineers by all accounts I've ever seen. They've been called the best phones ever made by more than one person. I'm know that other phones have their fans but I've listened to what were said to be the best Senn's at the time I listened to them and they didn't compare IMO.

And they do sell for less than $100. You can even get replacement pads for them after they wear out. You can expect to keep these phones for years to come. Their one drawback IMO is that they aren't great for mobile use but back when these were developed there was no use for mobile phones because the were designed before Walkman type devices became popular.

Alas. The look sturdy, but as you mention I wouldn't want to use them with my RH1

[King Ghidora]

Alas. The look sturdy, but as you mention I wouldn't want to use them with my RH1

I don't take them with me when I go out either except for possibly listening in a car. I've worn out various sets of ear buds since I've owned the Sony's. But the thread doesn't really mention what type of phones and that implies over the ear and over the head phones. You just can't get the same kind of sound from any other type of phones. I own a plethora of different phones though. I use them all for different reasons.

[cochra1]

Kanako, sorry to hear that. I got mine from Amazon, but mine cost me 25 quid, and directly from Amazon, not a third party seller.

Interesting. Think I'll do that. I see on another of your posts you still have your RH1 - thought you sold it cos you were skint! Maybe I misread something. I just bought one off ebay and am awaiting delivery.

Anyhoo, I think I'll get a genuine pair of CX300 phones as you said they are 'the lick'. I gather that means they are quite good.

Oh yeah, the name's Andy - Kanako is the lead singer with my band Kanako & The Numbskulls!

Edited February 19, 2007 by KanakoAndTheNumbSkulls

[eriktous]

Oh yeah, the name's Andy - Kanako is the lead singer with my band Kanako & The Numbskulls!

[Off topic] So, that would make you one of the numbskulls? [/Off topic]

[cochra1]

[Off topic] So, that would make you one of the numbskulls? [/Off topic]

I think that would be the implication, yes.

[Strungup]

For those with a RH1 , why not use something with the same ( almost) name

Yamaha RH5A .......... I love mine , I like the fact that they have a much thicker OFC cable and an even length from each cup instead of these shorter on the left ear designs of the in ear phones . The Yamahas are clear , punchy and 50 bucks.

TC

[forger]

i heard there are two version of the px100, one is the good phone and the other one is the not so good sec version,...

is that true or just some news to drop the popularity of the phone?????

[BIGHMW]

I myself like my new MDR-EX90SL (JE Version) IEM's for use with my MZ-NH700 and RM-MC40ELK, they sure are better sounding than the old EX71SL in which they replaced, although they don't have deep bass like over-the-head phones do (and like the old MDR-A34's for Walkman use), they do have better definition (the highs stand out but not too much compared to the EX71's) a ton louder (106 dB for the EX90's compared to the EX71's measly 100 dB), and obvious un-filtered midrange, it's just too bad that other IEM manufacturers (Sennheiser, etc.) don't make remote-friendly phones like Sony does. True, they may not be the best sounding IEM's, but for Walkman use they are quite sweet sounding for their purpose.

For the under-$100 category they sure are nice, espcially if you want teriffic sound on a budget. As far as the over-$100 range of IEM's, Sennheiser will finally have some competition, and I can't wait for the new $325.00 MDR-EX700SL's to come out, I just sure hope that Sony offers them in Silver as well as the already-planned black ones they are coming out with.

Edited September 26, 2007 by BIGHMW

[BIGHMW]

True, the EX700SL IEM's are a bit too pricey, way out of my league, but I am sure that Sony will (hopefully) use their heads and come out with a lower-priced cousin of them, much like they did last year when they released the EX85SL/LP, which was the lower-priced version of the EX90SL/LP IEM's.

[Sparda]

I would like to seriously suggest the AKG K81DJ headphones. The bass actually has 'oomph' to it and does not sound muddy or bloated. The soundstage and dynamics of it are definitely above average but isn't the best out there. The highs are nice and clear and won't give you fatigue unlike some headphones. I honestly think this the best headphone under $100 and would give the PX-100s some serious competition (note I have not actually heard the PX-100s before, but I am confident in the AKGs). I got my from Amazon for about $70~ shipped.

[pitdroidtech]

I've read several reviews on the CX300's and also comparisons with the ep630's from Creative. They seem to be the same headphones (though the creative has a straight plug, the sennheisser a right angle plug). There seem to be quite a few people claiming they use the same driver and are essentially identical.

This pleased me as they are cheaper than sennheisser yet I've always been impressed with sennheisser. So I bought a pair of ep630's and indeed found them to compare to my SE HPM-70 headphones (based on Sony EX71 or EX51 depending on who you speak to) the same way reviews compared the CX300 to Sony EX71's.

The EP630's are certainly better than the HPM-70 headsets, but there is also an appeal about the HPM-70's that keeps bringing me back to them. I think it's the grooviness that aeriyn refers to in her initial post with regard to the EX71's, so I lean towards thinking of the HPM-70 cans as basically repackaged EX71's. There is just something appealing about them, even though the EP630's have much higher fidelity and clarity.

I vasililate between my hpm-70's and ep630's as the mood takes me. Of course the extra length of the ep630's doesn't help. The hpm-70 is basically a fastport (SE phone connector) to 3.5mm extension, with the headphone themselves only having a lead of 20cm or less. HPM-70 3.5mm lead + ep630 = A LOT OF CABLE

[Strungup]

I am still Diggin my PX100's

They just sound good , I dont add anything ( take away sometimes on certain discs)

[aafuss]

Ear-clip style headphones:I use the MDR-Q38LW from Sony.

Retractable headphone plug cord, light and easy to wear.

[Nathan P]

The best headphones under $100 by a longshot in my experience are the Crossroads MylarOne X3's from Jaben Network

http://www.jaben.net/

Read about them on HeadFi and I'm going on my third pair (I break them, they send me new ones every time free of charge... It's my fault most of the time.)

They aren't the sturdiest earbuds but they sound AMAZING.

[aafuss]

Best neckband type under $10 has got to be one of the MDR-G street style from Sony.

Mine is the original model-the G61 from 1997 and it is a nice sounding headphone.

2008 models in Sony's street style line are the MDR-G45/G55/G75LW.

[Strungup]

I would like to add , The AKG K420's , that AKG just released , I went to Akihabara , and there s a Pro Audio shop in the very Back end and a Hidden part of Akiba , That deals JUST , I will say that again , JUST , as in ONLY ..... Headphones , Man , good grief there was some serious ear candy in there .

I tried a few of the medium grade phones ( 300 - 700 dollars ) ( that was their MEDIUM grade ) and browsed some more , then came across these K420 @ 98 dollars

16 ohms , Ideal for Md Battery life , Extremely comfortable , cool color ( Denim ) and a short cable ?!?!?! someone was thinking here , the cable is the right length for Remotes . Most headgear has quite a Long cable for home usage , these are MADE for portables .

They sounded VEry good as well , Of course I would expect that from AKG .

http://www.akg.com/personal/K_420,pcatid,6...ow,gallery.html

[jupitreas]

Ive been using Senn CX95 for a while now and so far am quite happy with it. Not a bad set of canalphones, although I believe they cost slightly more that 100$. I enjoy a deep bass and after burn in the Senns offer plenty of that, particularly when coupled with a nice phone amp.

[Strungup]

Update on the AKG K420's

I listened to the K420's with a Hi Md player this morning coming thru the 40elk remote , Derek Trucks , First Album . This MD has had so much airtime in my machines I know every single event , note , crack, bam rattle , intro outro , whatever . This disc doesnt have to be in my player for me to listen to it , it is in my head .

I know what it sounds like thru each different MD as well ....... Thru the Yamaha RH5Ma phones , it is pretty fat and lots of sizzle , it sounds great , but I wasnt really expecting what I got thru the K420's ...... It sounded more lifelike , and the cymbals were much smoother and silkier I stood in Yodobashi just listening for an hour ( the whole disc LOL ) and then switched discs , Les Nubians First CD (Optical copy in SP ) Princess Nubians ...... in both instances , the sound stage was more 3 dimensional , and richer . for a 98 dollar set of phones , these are a MUST have . Also the Cable is just the right size , between portable use , and sitting in front of the desk .

1 Meter cable , Very comfortable ( I am hard to please there) , just plain good sounding phones , I have to get these , buy some more md's from me so I can get some money to get them .......!!!!!!!

Edited December 16, 2008 by Guitarfxr