[Fortunex]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy my first set of decent quality headphones, and I'm a bit (read:completely) lost.

I'm tired of the crappy quality stuff that I keep buying in an attempt to find a good set, so I've decided to ask here.

I'll be using them to listen to music through my Zune (Zune HD when they come out) and my PC, and I know that they aren't particularly high quality sound, so I won't need audiophile-level headphones.

I listen to a lot of metal (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Dio, Slipknot, Dethklok, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine), but listen to a bit of everything, really.

I enjoy having the volume turned up a lot, but everything I've bought so far has terrible distortion when it gets even close to the level that I like.

Can you guys suggest some good all-around headphones? I'd prefer to spend less than $100 CAD, but if there's a good increase in quality for a bit more, I can cough up the extra.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Townyj]

Sennheiser PX100, Koss Portapro, Ultrasone Zino (Being an Ultrasone it should be great for your genre's), Denon D1001, Alessandro MS-1 or Grado SR60i

For Full size the JVC RX-700/900 could be good to look at aswell.

 

[chicscantdrive]

Grado SR60i. Just make sure you burn them in before deciding whether you like them. The whoa! comes after 50 hrs.

 

[koven]

ATH-ES7

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fortunex /img/forum/go_quote.gif I listen to a lot of metal (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Dio, Slipknot, Dethklok, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine), but listen to a bit of everything, really. I enjoy having the volume turned up a lot, but everything I've bought so far has terrible distortion when it gets even close to the level that I like.

The thing that no-one has mentioned thus far is that headphones carry a very real threat to your hearing. Sure, we all like to crank it up occasionally, but if you are routinely encountering distortion 'before it gets even close' to the level you like, getting another pair of phones may not solve all your problems. I also listen to metal, but I rarely need to take my cans anywhere near the point where distortion kicks in. I just did an experiment with a pair of HD201, cans that I believe sell for as little as $20 in the US : I stopped turning up the volume on my Cowon (Devil Driver's 'End of the Line') before I reached the point where these very basic cans lost the plot. At 50, I doubt that my hearing is as sensitive as many on this board, but it would interesting to see how others fare with the same experiment.

If you've ever come out of a gig with your ears ringing, and most of us have, thats hearing damage in action. The penny didnt drop for me until I read that Ted Nugent was completely deaf in one ear - at 30 - and then I began to notice how many musos wore earplugs on stage.

Enough hammering and its Tinnitus - thats permanent:

Tinnitus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[xkRoWx]

For people buying headphones outside of the States, the Alessandro MS1 is probably the best bet in terms of price

erformance. Grados are overly priced here in Canada.

Seems like you listen to a lot of rock, Grado house sound is probably your best bet. Unless isolation is a requirement, you can jam on the Grado/Alessandro at pretty high volume without too much distortion.

 

[nor_spoon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fortunex /img/forum/go_quote.gif I listen to a lot of metal (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Dio, Slipknot, Dethklok, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine), but listen to a bit of everything, really. I enjoy having the volume turned up a lot, but everything I've bought so far has terrible distortion when it gets even close to the level that I like.

Please take care of your hearing. What you describe sounds like a bad combination, and will most likely lead to permanent hearing loss. I suppose you still want to enjoy music in the future...


Not my intention to moralize, just sayin'

Happy listening.

 

[MrOutside]

KSC75. $11 and not that difference between them and a large series of $70 headphones.

 

[mark2410]

V-Jays

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fortunex /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you guys suggest some good all-around headphones?

Do you prefer closed headphones that are good at not leaking the sound out so as to not bother others near by? Or, is this not so much of a concern?

Are these headphones for portable or home use?

Do you have a preference for the size of the headphones, large, medium, small. Or, is the size of the headphones not so much of a concern?

 

[mrarroyo]

The Koss KSC75 or the Alessandro MS1 would be my choices specially since you reside in Canada (lower price). Unless you do not mind buying used in which case I would add the Grado SR60 or SR80. Cheers and good luck.

 

[hans030390]

JVC HA-RX700 or 900

 

[jageur272]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hans030390 /img/forum/go_quote.gif JVC HA-RX700 or 900

Terrible for metal. Slow and bloated.

MS-1i or ATH-ES7

 

[Almoxil]

Ultrasone HFI-550, if you can stretch your budget a bit. You can usually find it for $100 ~ $120 USD. I got both my pairs in that price range, one from eBay and the other from a fellow Head-Fier. Great performers for their price, and do the genres/artists you mentioned very well (I also listen to Slipknot, Rage Against The Machine and System of a Down).

 

[Fortunex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you prefer closed headphones that are good at not leaking the sound out so as to not bother others near by? Or, is this not so much of a concern? Are these headphones for portable or home use? Do you have a preference for the size of the headphones, large, medium, small. Or, is the size of the headphones not so much of a concern?

It's not a concern to me.

I'll be using them everywhere, really. Mainly portable use, though.

I don't have any preferences.


Thanks everyone for your help so far!