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Foldable/Portable Headphones with Good Clarity and Bass?
Jan 8, 2011 at 7:04 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 18
bballr1424

bballr1424

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Looking for some "full-size" headphones that are relatively portable with good sound quality and some good bass. Preferably under $150. I have been looking at the following 3:
 
Marshall Major:
http://www.marshallheadphones.com/product/major
 
Audio-Technica ATH-M50:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294158195&sr=8-1
 
Sennheiser HD 280:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1294530678&sr=1-1
 
 
Any thoughts or additional suggestions? Thanks!
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 7:08 PM Post #2 of 18
Definitely go for the M-50s.  They're sturdy, very portable (except the cable, which you can just zip-tie anyways) and have an excellent sound signature for somebody who likes bass or heavier music (such as heavy metal or techno).  They're very well loved on head-fi, and I can vouch that they deserve it.
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 7:23 PM Post #3 of 18
The ATH-M50 is a great starting headphone with nice bass. They're foldable, but can be pretty big to carry around in. The straight cord version also has a 10 ft cord, but the coiled version has a 4 ft wire. I'm sure many people will recommend the M50 because its the best all-around headphone its price range.
 
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 7:33 PM Post #4 of 18
thanks for the responses.....my only concern with the M50's are the mixed reviews I've read about the bass...while I don't need the exaggerated effect of say the Monster Beats, I'd like a little bit more rolling bass as opposed to a really punchy sound. Then again, I'm not really an audiophile so I think/hope that these will get the job done.
 
i just say that because I'm currently using the Sony XB500's which are bass heavy...looking for something with better overall sound quality (and hopefully alot less leakage), while still having a good amount of bass. thanks again.
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 8:30 PM Post #5 of 18
Nothing can come close to the portability of the Koss Pro DJ 100 for a full sized headphone. They kind of fold up a bit and the cups can even lay flat. These things make the M50, 280 and everything else look huge!
They sound amazing too for the price. The only problem is that they do have a stupid coiled cable!
 
Here's the pictures from ljokerl's review. They're not mine and I hope this is OK.
 
The link to the review is here:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318/shootout-63-portable-headphones-reviewed-db-logic-hp-100-arctic-sound-p281-added-12-24
 

 
Jan 8, 2011 at 10:30 PM Post #9 of 18
Yeah, most Best Buy stores carry them. If you hate them they're really good about returns.
I originally said they sounded "horrible" without an amp, but that's a bit overkill. My first pair seemed to not sound as good without an amp for whatever reason.
Lately I've been using them unamped with my Ipod Touch and it's not bad. Even the bass is good. I think when amped, the bass is a lot better controlled though.
I do think they do benefit from a small amp definitely. As long as a tiny mp3 player isn't being used, they should sound good enough unamped. I have a feeling they may sound worse with a Shuffle or Sansa Fuze. Of course even an HD-555 doesn't sound all that good from those. An Ipod Touch or a Zune would be best. Even an Ipod Classic would do.
 
I believe there is 2-3 other people on here that said they are fine un-amped, so I think it should be OK.
 
Quote:
bballr1424 said:
Nice...gonna check these out. how do they sound out of an ipod without an amp?
Click to expand...



 
Jan 8, 2011 at 10:48 PM Post #10 of 18


Quote:
tdockweiler said:
Yeah, most Best Buy stores carry them. If you hate them they're really good about returns.
I originally said they sounded "horrible" without an amp, but that's a bit overkill. My first pair seemed to not sound as good without an amp for whatever reason.
Lately I've been using them unamped with my Ipod Touch and it's not bad. Even the bass is good. I think when amped, the bass is a lot better controlled though.
I do think they do benefit from a small amp definitely. As long as a tiny mp3 player isn't being used, they should sound good enough unamped. I have a feeling they may sound worse with a Shuffle or Sansa Fuze. Of course even an HD-555 doesn't sound all that good from those. An Ipod Touch or a Zune would be best. Even an Ipod Classic would do.
 
I believe there is 2-3 other people on here that said they are fine un-amped, so I think it should be OK.
 
Quote:
bballr1424 said:
Nice...gonna check these out. how do they sound out of an ipod without an amp?
Click to expand...


 
Click to expand...


if you like the sound, then good for you, but the build quality issues still remain standing..
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 10:56 PM Post #11 of 18
Build quality issues? What are you talking about? These things are built like a tank. I think one person has said their pair was broken out of the box (was that you?).
If they break they have a lifetime warranty, so what's the big deal? You're not confusing them with the DHP-II are you?
confused_face%281%29.gif

 
 
Click to expand...


if you like the sound, then good for you, but the build quality issues still remain standing..
Click to expand...



 
Jan 8, 2011 at 11:00 PM Post #12 of 18


Quote:
tdockweiler said:
Build quality issues? What are you talking about? These things are built like a tank. I think one person has said their pair was broken out of the box (was that you?).
If they break they have a lifetime warranty, so what's the big deal? You're not confusing them with the DHP-II are you?
confused_face%281%29.gif

 
 
Click to expand...


if you like the sound, then good for you, but the build quality issues still remain standing..
Click to expand...


 
Click to expand...



oh, I retract my previous statement completely...I was thinking of the beats by dr dre...read too many of those threads recently..
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 11:07 PM Post #13 of 18

 
Quote:
buffalowings said:
Quote:
tdockweiler said:
Build quality issues? What are you talking about? These things are built like a tank. I think one person has said their pair was broken out of the box (was that you?).
If they break they have a lifetime warranty, so what's the big deal? You're not confusing them with the DHP-II are you?
confused_face%281%29.gif

 
 
Click to expand...


if you like the sound, then good for you, but the build quality issues still remain standing..
Click to expand...


 
Click to expand...



oh, I retract my previous statement completely...I was thinking of the beats by dr dre...read too many of those threads recently..
Click to expand...


Haha, no problem. I was worried about this for a second. There was a few people with issues on the DJ100. I think I heard from one person on here that when he moved his head the headphone swivel would make a weird squeeking sound. If that occurs I'd take them back, but luckily I haven't had that problem. There is some plastic on the DJ100. It's right near the joint, but I've dismantled my pair and it seems pretty solid. Most of it is all metal, but half of the ear cups are plastic, the other half metal.
 
Jan 8, 2011 at 11:44 PM Post #15 of 18
The m50's are the best among the three choices of headphones you have provided. They have great bass, but they sound hollow at times. The Sennheiser hd 280 pro aren't very well regarded on the site, but I would reccomend listening to them. Another choice you might want to consider is the Shure 750dj because they also have good bass and sound signature.
 
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