Buying my first good headphones (~$100 limit)

Hello, Head-Fi! I've been lurking around for a while to get a feel of this place, but now it's crunch time and I need your help.

I guess you could say I'm a bit of an audio snob, though not an audiophile by any means. I can certainly tell the difference between 192 and 320kbps MP3, I'm constantly switching earbuds with my mom for sound quality in certain types of music, desperately trying to steer people away from the likes of Beats and Bose, and the only reason my music isn't all lossless is because I don't have the hard drive space for a decent collection. I've been wearing nothing but cheap earbuds my whole life, and it's time for a change. Though I know anything will be an improvement over my earbuds, I'd like this transition to really count (and to really last).

So here's my situation (I'll try to be as detailed as possible):

- I listen to my 320kbps MP3s on my LG Optimus V using the PowerAMP app, so no audiophile gear here. I also listen at home with an integrated sound card and foobar2000 as my music player of choice.

- I cannot afford to spend much more than $100.

- I listen to my music on the train, and it's a very loud train. I need isolation and as little leakage as possible, so open headphones are not an option.

- I've never listened to full-sized headphones long enough to decide between over-ears or on-ears, but I tried a couple of Bose ones at Target for the sake of comparing the two types and both were pretty comfy for me. Though for my isolating purposes, I'm guessing over-ears are more up my alley?

- The lighter and more portable they are, the better. At the same time, because I'll be taking these with me daily I need them to be well-built and sturdy.

- Comfort is a priority. The reason I'm ditching the earbuds is because they are painful and always falling out of my ears. They suck.

- I always wear glasses.

- I also wear hats. I don't know if this will make a difference regarding the seal of the headphones or not.

- I'm a girl with what I believe are ears on the smaller side. I don't know about the size of my head, but it's most likely smaller than the average Head-Fi member though a bit taller than most girls.

- I listen mainly to rock, J-pop, and electronica but I have a small collection of acoustics and classical music so I'd like something versatile that will bring out all ranges.

- I wouldn't call myself a basshead. If anything, I suffer from migraines so too much bass may actually be bad for me.

- Too much clamping may set off the headaches too.

- I listen to music at lower volumes. Anything much higher than half volume and I'm wincing.

- I couldn't care less about looks but something too bulky and pro-looking may bring unwanted attention. Though considering how most people around here run around with Beats and Bose, this may be a bit of a moot point. 

- I would prefer not to have to buy an amp. I carry enough stuff around for college as it is.

I think this should be enough. 

so, do I win the award for most high-maintenance newbie or not?

I've been looking around and researching for hours on end, and one of the cans that seem to show up the most are the ATH-M50s and the Shure SRH440. I have also been teetering on the edge of getting the Sennheiser HD448 for the sake of price (< $60) and comfort, but I've heard very mixed reviews, including the necessity of an amp if using it with the likes of a smartphone even though using an amp with an Android phone is completely pointless.

I really like the looks of the M50s and I think I've found a pretty good deal for them on Sound Professionals with a coupon ($120). Otherwise, the $140+ prices I'm seeing are a little too steep. Considering my situation, is this a good deal? Or is it a little too high-end for me? Should I just take the 448 and run with it?

I'd love your feedback.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flagellin 

That's the price I got my M50s for, and I love them. 

 

That said, I'm not sure that even these will isolate enough on the train. You may want to consider a pair of IEMs for the train instead. 

I've never worn IEMs, so I have no clue how comfortable I would be with them. From what I've read, their isolation comes from sucking into your ear canal (yeah, I'm a bit confused on how they work)...? Sounds kind of painful. How much more comfortable are they compared to the average earbuds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tribestros 

The ATH-M50s get universal praise on this forum. But I'm going to be a bit skeptical of them, I think they're a bit too big and bulky, especially if you want something portable. Now, as far as the Shure, I'm also not a huge fan due to the fact they're a bit bright and shrill in the high end. The ATH will clamp, as well.

 

Here's what I'd recommend, and why:

Sennheiser HD428: $64.99

FiiO E5: $20.49 on Amazon

The reason I recommend these over the 448 is because there's no difference in the driver, they're actually just less bling-ed out 448s and they're not discontinued. The headphones are a bit inefficient; so the FiiO E5 will add some volume and overcome any issues your Android phone may present you as far as sound goes. You end up at under $100 and you'd be really satisfied. They don't clamp either; I'd recommend the HD280, but they clamp.

 

One more recommendation:

Sony MDR-V6: $61.07

No amp needed, you can save money with these. The Sonys are legendary for their sound reproduction, they're very neutral monitors and they do a good a job; they'll run as advertised on your Android. They're about the size of the ATH-M50s, though, so they're pretty big and will clamp more.

 

I'd recommend at least buying a Sansa Clip, though.  Android's music capabilities, excluding the Rezound, is pretty lacking.  I'd buy the 428 with the FiiO E5, if I were in the market for sub-$100.

Firstly, thanks for the feedback!

Both recommendations sound great to me, though for portability I think the 428 would serve me a little better, especially with the aid of an amp. How good are they when it comes to constant travel, though? I hear the 448 can take a beating even though it seems cheap, so I'd assume that also applies to the 428?

Ironically, I DO own a Sansa Clip, though it's the original Clip (2GB) with no microSD expansion and I've since pawned it off on my mom (though she doesn't use it much). I think what I'll do is compare my Android with the Clip no matter what I get, and if I like what I hear I'll invest in a Clip+ with a 32GB SD.

I was also looking into a portable amp for the 448 back when that was the best option I could find, though I'm a bit confused about the connections. It plugs into either the headphone jack or USB, right? But I hear older Android phones don't have the capability to run amps through USB.

Would the Clip be better for these purposes?

Also, is the E5 better or worse than the E6? From what I've read the E5 has hissing issues when there are phones nearby and I though my Android phone isn't activated (I use it as an MP3 player/PDA), I have a cheaper phone that is and it's quite the signal sucker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tribestros 

I don't like IEMs or earbuds. Might as well jam a rock into your head. I need some non in-ears with decent sound for working out.

 

Indeed, I don't think I would be much of an IEM person either, especially after my negative experiences with earbuds.