While different ears hear differently, I'll throw in the Goldring DR150 for recommendation.
It goes by un-noticed by many, since I don't think a lot of people know about the Goldring name, but their flagship DR150 is a headphone that performs so staggeringly well for its price, that its hard not to recommend them IMO.
Quoting myself from another topic:
Quote:
For a first entryway into the world of headphones, I recommend looking out for Goldring DR150.
The DR150 is one of the best entryway lo-mid-fi headphones in terms of price/performance ratio.
Having used all 3, IMO, its either in league or just a notch below the AKG K701 and DT880 (Not mine, but I had the fortune of living with them for several weeks, and compared them from time to time). Each have their strengths and weaknesses, but strings sound amazing out of the DR150 due to the DR150s coloration IMO (Alien DAC w/ TI2704 -> PINT w/ AD8397 -> K701/DT880/DR150).
Performance wise, I prefer the DR150 over the A900, they have a larger overall sense of spatial imaging, their bass carries more impact, silkier midrange and equivalent highs extension + detail.
Though they get the job done, DR150s however, lack the accuracy of the spatial positioning/imaging of the A900, DT880 and K701 IMO (though it still holds its own very well IMO), the best of the bunch being the K701.
That said, the DT880 and the A900 are probably the most comfortable of the bunch, with the DT880 edging out the A900 ever so slightly thanks to its velour padding (the A900's Wing-Bands make for a nicer positioning on the head though, IMO). If you don't have a large head, the DR150s also disappear from your head IMO, they're very comfortable after being seasoned for a while, and are the lightest headphones of the bunch. The least comfortable of the group would be the K701, but that's not saying much since I still listened to it on hours end back then.
Last but not least, if you wish to spend less than $100, look out for some used Equation Audio RP-21s that pop-up every now and then in the FS forums. They have decent performance, and are very good for their price. May sound a bit nasal at first, but the sound evens out through long time usage or pink-noise sweeps @ 100+ hours (burn-in, both cases), and they block out external noise better than the A900s (sound isolation is still considered poor though, slightly worse than the average semi-canals you may find out there).
Always look out on the FS forums. You can sometimes find K701s and DT880s than just go slightly below the 250 mark. If you can find a DR150 below 100 however, and like the 'Grado-house-esque' sound, don't think twice, grab it, and save the rest of the money for DAC/amping. |
That said however, you can factor out the K701, DT880 because they're way above the $80 price point, be it used or new, and the RP21 and AD900 as well, since they're closed headphones.
That said, the Goldrings respond very well to amping (source dependant) as well, should you choose to do so in the future, and they also work well without amping. You can also try out the Grille Cloth Removal mod, which I (shamefully) only found out as of recent (to further widen its headstage), and will get around to doing upon purchasing a screwdriver toolkit set.
If possible, find them used (Its the only way to get them at US$80 or below IMO), but try and enquire if the velour padding is in good condition. You'll be spared from the clamping force of a new DR150, and its performance (not considering sonic signature, which it sound a lot like the higher range of Grado headphones... or more comparably, the Allesandro MS2i actually, in my opinon, hearing them out of what I think was the Singlepower PPX Slam) surpasses the SR60 by far.
