[JohnnyBlaze554]

I'm looking to make a list of headphones that people really wanted new stuff compared to in different price points.
 
So far looking around the shop this is what I'm thinking that we have I could compare things too.
 
50-   Koss Porta Pro Classic
100- Grado SR-80
150-  Audio-Technica ATH-M50
300-  not sure there are so many great headphones at this price point.
400-  AKG Q701
500-  Sennheiser HD-650
 
What are your thoughts on these as benchmarks?  Are there some I'm missing?  Do you really think there is something I'm totally wrong on.  I'm looking to review first impressions for new products coming in and want to have something most everyone knows well to compare them to.
 
 
Thanks,
 
Bryan
PeachBudz-sales

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Price point benchmarks should have multiple entries for comparison. I would even go as far, if you're really interested in making a list that is worth using, as breaking up the entries into things like bassy/neutral/treble-focus and the like to make it even more useful and to also block it into ranges of closed & open air variants. Also, even if a headphone qualifies for a price point benchmark, it's price does not include or reflect it's respective source gear requirements (ie, some headphones need a lot more amplification than others, and that isn't included in it's price, but makes it more costly to actually get and use compared to some which are efficient and have minimal requirements in that regard).
 
At the $400 point, for example, I would put the Hifiman HE-400, Ultrasone PRO 2900, Denon D5000, Kenwood K1000, Beyer T70 as options to look at.
 
But it seems you're talking about "in store" where prices are very different. The Q701 for example is not even $300 new. It's in the mid $200's on Amazon. So your list, if you continue, should reflect that the prices are MSRP and in-store, and not reflecting the common cost found on authorized internet vendor websites.
 
Very best,

 

[JohnnyBlaze554]

Hey thanks for the reply.  When I say in store I mean literally I work at PeachBudz which is a headphone store. We have 50 some headphones and 40 some earbuds out that I can compare things too when they come in I want to get a few myself to have at home for longer listening to so I really get a feel for them, they are listed in my profile.  Of those you listed for example I also have access to the T70 and Ultrasone Pro 2900 to do side by side comparisons to as well.  Maybe what I should do is just create a list of what all is in the store so people can ask me to compare what I have access to. Do you think that would work?  If there is a headphone that people say stands out that we don't have I may pick it up so I can compare it also.
 
Thanks again Malvaeux always good to get your opinion on things,
 
Bryan

 

[obobskivich]

I think your intentions are good if I'm understanding you properly - you want to establish a "baseline" for what XYZ dollars get you, in your shop? I think that'll be good but also bad for some headphones. For example the T70 are nearly $700 SRP; they are not worth half that (and if you spend a little time with them against a 701 or HD 600 you'll probably put that together on your own).

Anyways, the idea of having a comparison to something people know makes a lot of sense. I'd probably just pick a few popular models and compare everything against them; but not really worrying about price. In other words, don't make the HD 650 represent everything ca. $500. Just say "this is XYZ against the HD 650." I'm also not sure the PortaPro is as known today as it was even five years ago.

If you really wanted to do some comparisons (and I have no idea what your inventory looks like), why not throw in some majorly popular cans that most non-audiophiles might be familiar with? Like the Beats headphones? Or a variety of offerings from Sony, Sennheiser, and Bose?

 

[JohnnyBlaze554]

Thanks obobskivich, we actually don't cary the beats sonys or bose, we do have Sennheiser.  But really I'm wanting to get peoples opinion on headphones that say if I were compare the new AKG K550 to what do you think the people hear on the forums would be familiar with most in that price range.  I think you're right that I should narrow it down to a few say closed open on ear over ear and then I can give my opinion on in ear but they are really hard to know without trying them yourself due to fit.  When the Another example would be when the Amperior comes into the shop I would like to figure out what would be a good comparison from the standpoint of a head-fi reader.  The closest thing I can think of style wise is the t50p that we have.  I really just hope that I can be a resource to the community due to the amount of things I can compare things too.
 
I really appreciate your comments it helps me work through what it is that I am imagining.
 
Thanks
 
Bryan

 

[obobskivich]

Thanks obobskivich, we actually don't cary the beats sonys or bose, we do have Sennheiser.  But really I'm wanting to get peoples opinion on headphones that say if I were compare the new AKG K550 to what do you think the people hear on the forums would be familiar with most in that price range.  I think you're right that I should narrow it down to a few say closed open on ear over ear and then I can give my opinion on in ear but they are really hard to know without trying them yourself due to fit.  When the Another example would be when the Amperior comes into the shop I would like to figure out what would be a good comparison from the standpoint of a head-fi reader.  The closest thing I can think of style wise is the t50p that we have.  I really just hope that I can be a resource to the community due to the amount of things I can compare things too.

I really appreciate your comments it helps me work through what it is that I am imagining.

Thanks

Bryan

Aha! Okay, I would just pick the very popular models that come up a lot in "Head Gear" - for example I'm seeing on the "Related Head Gear" pop-up for this thread that over 300 people report owning the ATH-M50. And over 150 for the PortaPro. Pick headphones like that. That lots of people own or try out at some point. Once you start moving into the land of more expensive, it's harder I think; there's a lot of options and they mostly come down to preference. In that $300-$500 range, the HD 600/650 and K701 are probably the safest bets though. While the DT880 is popular, I just don't see them mentioned as much nowadays as they were a few years ago; maybe I'm blind though.

 

[JohnnyBlaze554]

Awesome, thanks again.  I have access to all you mentioned there except the hd 600 the rest we have at the shop.  I may do a poll prior to reviewing comparing a pair of headphones as well.  The problem would be that I would need to have quite a few people reply in order to really make it a good tool.  Of the ones I'm seeing on my side frame that you were talking about I can see we also have the ATH 2900 and the Beyer T70 that are on there.

 

[obobskivich]

ATH 2900??? Did I miss an anticipation thread?

 

[JohnnyBlaze554]

sorry miss typed the 2400