Alexx Posted September 24, 2005 Report Share Posted September 24, 2005 Theres a huge range of prices, and i can never seem to make them last more than 18 months: wires come loose or they just get too waxy lolHow much does everyone else spend on their ear phones.I dont really loo for anything amazing: but comfy is always a plus thats why my last pair were a gummy kind that I got from "Currys". They cost £7.99 and I was really happy with them, till i gave my old MD player away to my boyfriend.Now I need new ones, and I am thinking about these "Philips" ones that I have seen. They are also £7.99 but are pritty OK from what I can gather. They have an inline volume control and the earpiece itself is not flat, theres like a wee sticky-out bit.Anyways I'll tell you how they do, but would be interesting to know what features you look for in earphones and what sort of prices you spend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage Posted September 25, 2005 Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 Warning: DO NOT GO TO HEAD-FI, unless you like parting with your money on headphones.Most I spent thus far on a set of headphones were Shure E3s at $200 inc. tax.Though I've not spent more than $100 on set of full sized cans, there are time which I want to do so, like last week. When a set of Grado SR135s (I think) were beckoning me to... take them home with me...The temptation, the temptation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananatree Posted September 25, 2005 Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 8 hours a day atleast for my job, in which I wear an ear piece all day long.Other than that I try and listen atleast an hour a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen Posted September 25, 2005 Report Share Posted September 25, 2005 Warning: DO NOT GO TO HEAD-FI, unless you like parting with your money on headphones.Most I spent thus far on a set of headphones were Shure E3s at $200 inc. tax.Though I've not spent more than $100 on set of full sized cans, there are time which I want to do so, like last week. When a set of Grado SR135s (I think) were beckoning me to... take them home with me...The temptation, the temptation.I totally second that!! Since I've been looking around on the Head-Fi forums I've spend a lot of money on 'phones. I've bought some earphones: the Westone UM2's for $300,- including shipping and the four-pole Sharp MD33's (those are good phones for the money of you own a Sharp Auvi unit) AND I've bought various full sized cans for about $250,- total.... The worst thing is that is never stops; once you've been on head-fi you're always tempted to buy other/better phones and better cans!I must admit that the more expensive phones do sound A LOT better than the crappy phones that come with the units or the ones you buy for $20,- at the stores ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A440 Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 You can go crazy with headphones. Remember, though, that from MD (or iPod or other portables) you're probably listening to compressed audio and you're probably not in an ideal silent listening setup. It's just not worth it to get $300 headphones for that kind of listening. Super duper headphones might even reveal the limitations of your ATRAC or mp3 files. For under $50 you can get the seriously musical mini open-air portable Sennheiser PX100, far better than and just as comfortable as cheapo earbuds--I always forget I have them on. For under $150 ($129 at Amazon, sometimes even cheaper elsewhere now that Shure has introduced the E4) you can get Shure E3 earbuds for incredible isolation and good sound. Or you can get the big, geeky, un-portable, wonderfully clear and punchy Grado SR 125 (which are much better and not that much more expensive than the SR 60 or SR 80). They're not as comfortable as the others, particularly if you wear glasses--they press on the arms--but boy, do they sound good. http://www.gradolabs.com/frameset_main.htmI read Head-Fi too, and it convinced me to get a pocket headphone amp (which I got from some electronics hobbyist on Ebay, search for "Cmoy" and do a little comparison among the competing versions). It does open up the sound of the Grados even more and is useful sometimes if I've set levels too low on an MD recording. But no, I am not getting a component-sized headphone amp custom-designed for a $1000 pair of headphones to listen to mp3s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damage Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 Mmm... Grados. I just got enlightened to a pair of those (SR60 - $70 at a local Virgin Megastore of all places), and they are pretty terrific. Unfortunately, they're not the best set of cans in my arsenal (that honor belongs to the XD400s)...For $70, though, the Grado SR60s are hard to top. Unless you have a thing against 60s stylings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrain Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 SR60s as above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJ_Palmer Posted September 28, 2005 Report Share Posted September 28, 2005 The Grado SR80 is my usual home phone of choice. Costing possibly about £80-90 new. When out and about I'm happy with with my Sennheiser MX550 (£20) or PX200 (£30).I think none of these phones are on the bassy side (especially the Senns), so if bass is what you're after you probably need to look elsewhere (maybe the Sony range)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streaml1ne Posted October 8, 2005 Report Share Posted October 8, 2005 I've spent $100USD or more on every set of phones I've purchased. And they've all been worth every penny. They're also all Sony, however I've listened to a few pair of Grado phones, as well as a few Sennheiser. I've always gravitated to the Sony sound though. YMMV.$370 MDR-SA5000 - Just got them today and they're phenomenal. Let me repeat that, PHENOMENAL! (pictorial soon)$250 MDR-7509 - Had these for about 2 years and they are a major step up from the 7506, but they do have their own sound which some people may not like.$120 MDR-D66 - Price-formance wise these are one of the best pair I've ever had. They don't color the sound too much, they're clear, extremely portable, they isolate some outside sound and IMO they're streetable without looking like too much of a dweeb $100 MDR-7506 - My first 'real' pair of phones. I still have them and aside from a minor cut-out issue with the plug which a quick dab of solder fixed they work great. Sound is a bit bassy, but they've still got a good overall sound to them IMO. I've had these for 5 years now and will keep using them until they disintegrate.The trick for me is source material. You absolutely have to pick a dynamic, high quality recording that you're familiar with in order to test new phones. After that it comes down to personal preference in terms of how the phones color the sound.ps. I've been listening to the SA5000's while writing this and I can't get over how good they sound! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaotic Posted October 16, 2005 Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 ^ so the next logical step up for you is Qualia R10? if you are already saying phenominal for a $370 can, I wonder what you will be saying, if R10 is your last set of headphone?!!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmachine Posted October 16, 2005 Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 I've just spent 5.49 EUR ( ) for used, but good condition Sony MDR-CD470s. My other similar pair is showing first wear so i thought to invest in a spare one, just in case anything stupid happens to them. I really like their clean, analytic sound. Additionally, they're exceptionally comfortable. I'd also like to know what others think about them.They look like that:[attachmentid=940] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streaml1ne Posted October 16, 2005 Report Share Posted October 16, 2005 ^ so the next logical step up for you is Qualia R10? if you are already saying phenominal for a $370 can, I wonder what you will be saying, if R10 is your last set of headphone?!!?!?I don't see myself buying another set of headphones anytime soon . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercury_in_flames Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Well after buying a pair of mdr-q55sl's, which hurt like hell and sounded very harsh and tinny, i went on to sony ex81's, I;ve had them for a year now, and they are still intact, although the wires are quite frayed I invested in a $200 pair of audio technica ATH-A900's about a month ago, just because i was tired of fraying wires etc, and i had just bought an MDS-JB980 md deck, and wanted something to listen to my music with, at night, that sounded as good as listening through speakers. Ive just gone and ordered a pair of audio technica ath-fc7's , about $59, for outdoor use, the blue ones, as i wanted something that sounded a bit better, im hoping, than my ex81's, i;ll review them when they arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrain Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 i was thinking about some fc7s too. will take a look when im in hong kong next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercury_in_flames Posted October 31, 2005 Report Share Posted October 31, 2005 I should have mine before this friday, we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPlitude Posted November 3, 2005 Report Share Posted November 3, 2005 i guess how much one spends really boils down to how much the budget allows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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