[Jack Western]

While I'm here, I might as well get this over and done with 

My girlfriend wants me to get her a pair of Goldring NS1000s for her birthday, as she loves mine, which she bought me... somewhat ironically, but I feel that is a bit of a jump to go from nothing to using a reasonably high end set of headphones. Now, she is getting a Creative Zen X-Fi 2 which means she will have a good source to listen from, even without an amp, so I just need to find a suitable pair or budget closed back headphones to start her off. I'm thinking something in the Sennheiser department, maybe the HD 218s or 202 IIs. Thoughts? I'm not one for such matters as I kinda maybe started off with over head headphones with Skullcandy, I could cry now, to look at myself a few years ago...

 

[Wildstar]

Going by the prices in Amazon UK, the HD228 is more than worth the difference from the HD218. Although I can't recommend either as "closed".

 

[greggie]

You aren't paying attention... all the information you require is right in your post.
 
Quote:

My girlfriend wants me to get her a pair of Goldring NS1000s for her birthday, as she loves mine, which she bought me... somewhat ironically, but I feel that is a bit of a jump to go from nothing to using a reasonably high end set of headphones.

 

Why would you go cheap when she didn't?  That usually doesn't end well.

 
The only way I would go that direction would be if she were willing to go audition headphones with you, on the premise that you might find something she likes even better.  If she resists the idea, or you end up going but can't find anything she likes better, the choice should be clear.
 
Now, if I have read this wrong and you are also getting her the Zen, that's a bit different.
 
It's not always about the sound...
 

 

 

[Jack Western]

Yeah true, other than one is on ear and the other is around ear. But, they are both down as closed back headphones, which will mean at least some isolation and less leakage than open backs, obviously...
 

 

[Jack Western]

I'm hardly going cheap haha. I'm not even the one buying the Zen anyway. It MIGHT be her parents. I'm getting her a Pandora bracelet anyway...
But the information is not in my post. She only likes mine because they're mine... savvy? I know what I like, but she doesn't know what she wants yet. I want to start her off, not drop her head first into the confusing world of music

 

[greggie]

You are already looking at closed Sennheiser phones, and I'd suggest considering comfort as well.  Maybe a circumaural like the HD-215, HD-280 or HD-428?  (Sorry, haven't heard any of them.)