Buying headphones under $200?

Open headphones usually have more soundstage

Closed headphones more bass.

 

KRK KNS 8400 (closed) have good reviews and cost less then the Audio Technica ATH-M50s.
 

 

 

What kind of music? You'll get very different recommendations for hip hop than you'll get for classical, I'd imagine. That said the k240Studio or k242mkII might be a good all 'rounder.

 

 

m50..

Not to hijack but I'm in the same boat and just about ready to pull the trigger on the M50's - seem like the best value to me all around. The only problem is I heard their soundstage is horrible and I would be gaming a lot with them.

i just got some m50s this week and they are very good all around headphones for $140 (thats what I got them for on amazon). they aren't super bassy so they are very good for all types of music. totally go for it man, m50s all the way

Consider the DT770 Pro 80 ohms by Beyerdynamic, they can usually be had online for ~160. Not as "well-rounded", but sensational for gaming due to comfort and soundstage/imaging.

Are they good for movies as well?

I liked the sound so much coming from my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80-Ohm headphones I went out and got the 250-Ohm version.

The DT770 Pro 80-Ohm seem less demanding as they are only 80-Ohm and will work decently with out a headphone amplifier.

But, you really want to use them with a decent headphone amplifier to bring out their best.
 

 

 

Agree on the choice for Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro80. Being a Sennheiser fan I can't really recommend the HD518, honestly, for nice performance you need to get HD600/650 lol.

They will definitely give you a rich cinematic representation. And as others have mentioned they're OK through most standard plugs, but with proper amplification they get even sweeter.

Please keep in mind , once again, that the aforementioned cans aren't the best all-arounders, but for what you've provided I can assure you they'll perform quite admirably!

Note: they're built like a tank! That's a definite plus i'm my book. And they are arguably some of the comfiest cans ever.
Edited by grandehombre09 - 1/16/12 at 12:53am

Agreed on DT770-80s, they are quite good all-rounders (could be a bit of bass overwhelming for me, a non-basshead) and probably better than M50s in terms of ‘music compatibility’. Both of them are studio headphones with not much colouration but that does not mean they sound decent on all genres.

 

As for Rock and Jazz, if I don't mind open-back or closed, I would prefer Grado's engaging, open & warm sound, especially for the mids and bass.

I'm in exactly the same boat, the M50s seem very well suited to my music taste but everything I've read explains the soundstage is flawed. I would recommend buying a set of ATH AD700 second hand if you can, i picked up a set for £50 and they're practically brand new. AD700 + M50 got everything you need :)